Dune (2021): Cast, Ratings & Plot
Dune is a 2021 sci-fi adventure film directed by Denis Villeneuve, starring Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson. It runs 2 hours 35 minutes and was made on a reported $165 million budget. Its Echo Score is 71/100.
- Echo Score
- 71
- budget
- $165M
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 35m (155 min)
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Legendary Pictures
- Budget
- $165M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Dune About?
The premise of Dune without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Paul Atreides, a young man with a remarkable destiny, is thrust into a perilous journey to the desert planet Arrakis. To secure his family's future and the survival of his people, he must navigate a landscape rife with danger and political intrigue. The planet holds the universe’s most valuable resource, sparking conflict among powerful factions vying for control. Only those who can overcome their fears will have a chance to endure.
Dune Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- mother son relationship
- desert
- based on novel
- mind control
- empire
- sandworm
- combat
- premonition
- future
- politics
- sand
- duke
+38 more Show fewer
- nobility
- desert planet
- science fantasy
- destiny
- father son relationship
- distant future
- prescience
- space travel
- fictional drug
- training
- sign language
- traitor
- battle
- dead body
- massacre
- walled city
- spy
- child prodigy
- teenage boy
- giant worm
- emperor
- conspiracy
- doctor
- male nudity
- chosen one
- space opera
- feudalism
- messiah
- year 10191
- prophecy
- concubine
- betrayal
- alien planet
- set up for a sequel
- far future
- violence
- baron
- assassination attempt
Dune Cast & Characters
Oscar Isaac leads the cast as Duke Leto Atreides, with Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides. Directed by Denis Villeneuve; 48 actors are credited in all.
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Director Denis Villeneuve
-
Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides -
Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides -
Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides - Jimmy Walker as Atreides Lieutenant
Also Starring in Dune
· 44 more- Zendaya Chani
- Stellan Skarsgård Baron Vladimir Harkonnen
- Dave Bautista Beast Rabban Harkonnen
- Fehinti Balogun Male Fremen
- Stephen Collins Harkonnen Trooper
- Gloria Obianyo Female Fremen
- Elemér Szatmári Harkonnen Medic (uncredited)
- Marianne Faithfull Bene Gesserit Ancestor (voice)
- Souad Faress Bene Gesserit Sister
- Jason Momoa Duncan Idaho
- Josh Brolin Gurney Halleck
- Michael Nardone Gurney Sergeant (uncredited)
- Charlotte Rampling Reverend Mother Mohiam
- Joelle Baron Servant
- Javier Bardem Stilgar
- Sharon Duncan-Brewster Dr. Liet Kynes
Show all 48 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Babs Olusanmokun Jamis
- Chang Chen Dr. Wellington Yueh
- Neil Bell Sardaukar Bashar
- Benjamin Dilloway Sardaukar Assassin
- David Dastmalchian Piter de Vries
- Björn Freiberg Leto Officer (uncredited)
- Roger Yuan Lieutenant Lanville
- Tachia Newall Tanat
- Ellen Dubin Bene Gesserit Ancestor (voice)
- Richard Carter Harkonnen Trooper
- Stephen McKinley Henderson Thufir Hawat
- Golda Rosheuvel Shadout Mapes
- Charlie Rawes Harkonnen Trooper
- Oliver Ryan Hawat Specialist
- Duncan Pow Hawat Officer (uncredited)
- Jean Gilpin Bene Gesserit Ancestor (voice)
- Paul Bullion Sardaukar Soldier
- Balázs Megyeri Sardaukar Soldier (uncredited)
- Seun Shote Arrakeen Residency Gardener
- Elmi Rashid Elmi Shamir
- István Áldott Sardaukar Soldier (uncredited)
- Ferenc Iván Szabó Leto Officer (uncredited)
- János Timkó Harkonnen Guard
- Benjamin Clémentine Herald of the Change
- Károly Baksai Atreides Soldier (uncredited)
- Dora Kápolnai-Schvab Baron Servant
- Milena Sidorova Human Spider Proxy
- Peter Sztojanov, Jr. Sardaukar Soldier (uncredited)
Dune Reviews & Ratings
Our Echo Score gives it 71/100, strongest in sensory experience (86) and weakest in story & flow (55).
Dune Echo Score Breakdown
Dune presents a grand visual and auditory spectacle that showcases Denis Villeneuve's confident direction and meticulous production design. While the cinematography, set pieces, and sound design receive consistent acclaim, the film's narrative structure is hampered by slow pacing and heavy exposition, resulting in a divided audience response. The combination of impressive technical execution and a fragmented story yields a solid, though not uniformly compelling, cinematic experience.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 78
In terms of art and craft, the film excels through its expansive cinematography, detailed production design, and polished editing. Critics highlight Villeneuve's direction as a showcase of scale, and users repeatedly note the striking desert vistas and polished visuals. Minor criticism points to occasional pacing lulls, but the overall execution of visual storytelling is regarded as strong and distinctive.
- Character & Emotion 74
When assessing character and emotion, performances are largely praised for depth and chemistry, especially among the leads. Both critics and users commend the nuanced portrayals that ground the mythic material, while a few mentions of a weaker antagonist suggest room for improvement. The emotional resonance generated by key relationships is considered a notable strength of the adaptation.
- Story & Flow 55
Regarding story and flow, the narrative receives mixed reactions due to uneven pacing and dense exposition. Reviewers note that the first half feels slow and occasionally confusing, with some plot elements appearing ham‑fisted. Positive remarks focus on the political intrigue and thematic ambition, yet the overall coherence suffers, leaving many viewers anticipating resolution in the sequel.
- Sensory Experience 86
The sensory experience stands out as a major strength, with widespread acclaim for the film's score, sound design, and visual cohesion. Critics describe the soundscape as award‑worthy, and users echo the impact of the immersive music and atmospheric effects. The combination of a sweeping sonic backdrop and meticulous visual styling creates a compelling, almost meditative, cinematic environment.
- Rewatch Factor 60
Rewatch factor is moderate; enthusiasm for a sequel and the film's visual allure encourage some repeat viewings, while others cite the sluggish pacing and incomplete story as deterrents. Positive feedback mentions excitement for part two and lingering visual impressions, whereas several users express fatigue and reluctance to revisit the half‑story. Consequently, the film offers limited but notable replay value.
Dune Plot Summary
What happens in Dune from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 11 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 8-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
*On the desert planet of Arrakis, also known as Dune, a young native Fremen woman named Chani narrates the story of her people and how they have been oppressed by outsiders who have come to exploit the planet’s most valuable resource—spice. She explains that long before her time, the [Harkonnen] family had arrived on Arrakis and accumulated immense wealth thanks to spice, which is essential not only for its psychoactive and healing properties but also for enabling interstellar travel through the Navigators of the Spacing Guild. She reflects on how the control of spice has led to increased wealth and power for the Harkonnens, yet the native Fremen have struggled to resist their oppression.
Full summary
The whole story of Dune, scene by scene
Dune Trailers & Videos
30 videos: 3 trailers, 16 clips and 11 behind-the-scenes videos.
- Trailer Official Main Trailer
- Trailer Final Trailer
- Clip Full Movie Preview
- Clip Silence
Seen Dune?
Movies Like Dune
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Dune, Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two.
Dune FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, budget and post-credit scenes of Dune, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Dune?
Dune runs 2 hours 35 minutes (155 minutes).
When was Dune released?
Dune was released on September 3, 2021.
Who directed Dune?
Dune was directed by Denis Villeneuve.
More films by Denis Villeneuve Who is in the cast of Dune?
Dune stars Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides, among 48 credited actors.
What was the budget of Dune?
Dune had a reported budget of $165 million.
Does Dune have a post-credit scene?
No. Dune has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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