If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Dune: How to watch the epic sci-fi movie and TV franchise in chronological and release order

Get ready for Dune: Prophecy by jumping into the world of Frank Herbert's Dune

Dune: Part Two promotional image — Image credit: Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures

Guides by Mason Downey, Contributing writer

Additional contributions by Jules Chin Greene

Published on Fri Mar 01 2024

Face your fear, and permit it to pass over you and through you with our key guides to all things Dune:

After reading it all, turn to the inner eye to see its path.

Dune's cinematic journey has been a long and arduous one. After a critically-panned David Lynch adaptation and a fabled attempt from Alejandro Jodorowsky, it seemed as if a good adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi novel was never going to happen. Then, in 2021, director Denis Villeneuve did what some said would be impossible with Dune: Part One, a critically-acclaimed, box office smash. And now, the much-anticipated sequel is at last in theaters.

This is great news for Dune fans who have already dipped their feet into the scorching desert sands of Arrakis, but possibly confusing for anyone who might be learning about spice and sandworms for the very first time. After all, with so many attempts and re-attempts to tell the same story (did you know Dune was on television as well?), how would you know where to even start?

But don't panic. That's where Popverse's Dune watch order comes in. (Don't worry, we promise it's not as complicated or convoluted as it seems!) First, we'll tackle the Dune universe in chronological order. Be warned that this timeline covers hundreds of thousands of years in the novels, and there are some pretty major time skips for the shows and movies as well.

How to watch the Dune universe in chronological order

Dune Part 1 (2021) — Image credit: Warner Bros.

The Dune universe operates in the distant future - so far that they've adopted a different numbering system for years. Instead of AD as we use, it's AG - as in 'After Guild' - meaning after the establishment of the Spacing Guild, the group responsible for controlling interstellar travel. The movie versions so far have taken place around 10,191 AG, but with shows like Dune: Prophecy, we'll be seeing some 10,000 years prior to this date.

~100 AG - Dune: Prophecy (TV series, 2024)
10191 AG - Dune (1984)
10191 AG - Dune (TV mini-series, 2000)
10191 AG - Dune: Part One (2021)
10191 AG - Dune: Part Two (2024)
~10216 AG - Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (TV mini-series, 2003)

Release order is a bit more straightforward for Dune, and looks a little something like this.

How to watch the Dune universe in release order

Dune (1984)
Dune (TV mini-series, 2000)
Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (TV mini-series, 2003)
Dune: Part One (2021)
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Dune: Prophecy (TV series, 2024)

Okay, wait. What are the differences between Dune, Dune, and Dune: Part One/Part Two?

Dune (1984), Dune (2000), and Dune: Part One/Dune: Part Two, are all, functionally, the exact same story -- though you might struggle to realize that watching them back-to-back. All four movies are adapting Frank Herbert's Dune, the first novel in the series with vastly different creative approaches. The 1984 version was famously directed by arthouse auteur David Lynch (and featured Sting in a sci-fi speedo), while the 2000 TV mini-series was significantly lower budget and angled for more mainstream TV viewers. Meanwhile, Dune Part One and Two are massive, big-budget blockbusters made with cutting-edge visual effects and A-list casts.

That said, because they're all working from the same source material and covering the same parts of the franchise, you could really watch them in any order you'd like!

What's going on with Dune's timeline?

Dune's timeline is massive and intimidating, stretching across multiple millennia, but the roots and origins of the story actually rests in a version of reality. Dune imagines a far out future that started here on Earth in the present day (or, a present day imagined in the '60s, when the novel was written) where technology became so advanced and able to "think like men" that it sparked a massive war. The resulting war ended with a sweeping decree: no technology that replicates human thought shall ever be built again.

Now, fast forward thousands upon thousands of years and this technology-less society has evolved into other facets of life, bereft of computers they have spent generations honing and training other abilities within the human body, creating all sorts of new ways to "compute" things -- some that even look and feel like magic. Add to this a space program that had as many spiritual implications as it did mechanical ones and you've got the recipe for some pretty intense sci-fi world-building.

The Dune stories in their adapted forms usually take place in around 10,191 AG, but with shows like Dune: Prophecy, we'll be seeing some ten thousand years before this date. Meanwhile, Children of Dune jumped ahead a generation or so. The novels, meanwhile, sweep thousands upon thousands of years in either direction.

Where can I watch Dune?

Dune: Part 1 and Dune: Part 2 are currently available to stream on Max. The TV mini-series, Dune and Children of Dune, are also available on Max. Dune (1984) is available on Max and Hulu. Dune: Prophecy has just begun streaming on Max.

Will there be a Dune 3?

As of right now, we don't know! Denis Villeneuve, has been writing a third movie based on Dune: Messiah, but as of right now there has been no confirmation if the project is moving forward.

Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:

And if you're looking for specific franchises or genres, we've also got lists for the:

Finally, if you're a fan of superheroes and not specific to just Marvel or DC, we have overall guides to:

Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news