A Glean movie guide
Beyond the Sands of Arrakis
Immersive worlds and high-concept vision
Epic sci-fi, grand world-building, and political intrigue for fans of Dune.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Blade Runner 2049
A visually stunning masterpiece from director Denis Villeneuve that explores identity in a decaying future.
Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.
- 02
Lawrence of Arabia
The primary historical inspiration for Dune, featuring sweeping desert vistas and complex political maneuvering.
During World War I, English officer Thomas Edward 'T.E.' Lawrence sets out to unite and lead the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes to fight the Turks.
- 03
Interstellar
A grand-scale odyssey that blends high-concept physics with a desperate search for humanity's new home.
The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
- 04
Mad Max: Fury Road
A relentless, visually immersive journey through a desert wasteland defined by resource scarcity and tribal war.
An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and most everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order.
- 05
Arrival
An intellectual and atmospheric sci-fi drama that prioritizes world-building and the mystery of first contact.
Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat.
- 06
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
A beautiful animated epic centered on ecological collapse, giant insects, and warring factions.
After a global war, the seaside kingdom known as the Valley of the Wind remains one of the last strongholds on Earth untouched by a poisonous jungle and the powerful insects that guard it. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley engage in an epic struggle to restore the bond between humanity and Earth.
- 07
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
The quintessential space opera that echoes Dune’s themes of destiny, desert planets, and galactic empires.
Princess Leia is captured and held hostage by the evil Imperial forces in their effort to take over the galactic Empire. Venturesome Luke Skywalker and dashing captain Han Solo team together with the loveable robot duo R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the beautiful princess and restore peace and justice in the Empire.
- 08
Avatar
An immersive exploration of alien ecology and the violent clash between imperial forces and indigenous tribes.
In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.
- 09
Kingdom of Heaven
A massive historical epic that captures the political weight and desert warfare central to the Dune saga.
After his wife dies, a blacksmith named Balian is thrust into royalty, political intrigue and bloody holy wars during the Crusades.
- 10
2001: A Space Odyssey
A pioneering vision of human evolution that matches Dune’s sense of scale and philosophical mystery.
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
- 11
Prometheus
A high-budget exploration of humanity's origins set against a backdrop of ancient secrets and grand visuals.
A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
- 12
The Matrix
A revolutionary sci-fi classic that mirrors the 'chosen one' prophecy and deep world-building of Arrakis.
Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.