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Could Dune and Star Wars be the long-lost cousins of the sci-fi world? With the release of Dune: Part Two, those age-old comparisons between the epic Frank Herbert universe and George Lucas’s space opera have been reignited. And the roots run way more profound.
Let’s rewind. Before Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation happened, the literary world had already crowned Frank Herbert’s Dune series as a sci-fi titan. Herbert’s work laid the foundation for countless following stories. Enter Star Wars, the franchise that blew up the big screen in the 1970s, sprinkling its storylines with concepts that Dune readers couldn’t help but find… familiar. Coincidence? Probably not.
Take desert planets, for instance. Star Wars had Tattooine, that sandy wasteland where Anakin Skywalker kicked off his destiny before his son, Luke, picked up the torch. In Dune, it’s all about Arrakis—aka Dune itself—the sun-scorched home of the spice mélange. While Tattooine’s more of a launching pad for our Jedi heroes, Arrakis is the nerve center of the universe. Talk about upping the stakes!
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But let’s get metaphysical. The Force in Star Wars—a mystical energy binding the galaxy—has more than a passing resemblance to the Dune universe’s Weirding Way. The Bene Gesserit, those cunning power players of Dune, harness the “Voice” to control others’ minds. Sound familiar? Yeah, it’s like those Jedi mind tricks—different names, same game.
And speaking of prophecies, let’s not forget the chosen ones. Anakin Skywalker was pegged as the galaxy’s savior in Star Wars, destined to balance the Force (before he took a wrong turn and went completely Vader). Meanwhile, Paul Atreides from Dune played a more twisted game. He didn’t go dark precisely, but his journey showed the dangers of blind faith and messianic complexes. If anything, Paul is the anti-Anakin—proving that sometimes the hero isn’t always the good guy.
Villains? Oh, we got those too. Darth Vader might have stolen the show in Star Wars, but the real mastermind was Emperor Palpatine, lurking in the shadows. Dune had a similar setup with Baron Harkonnen, the initial threat, giving way to the true baddie—Emperor Shaddam I: two emperors, two sagas, and one massive power struggle.
And hey, while discussing memorable characters, how about Jabba the Hutt and Baron Harkonnen? Jabba was the slug-like crime lord lounging in his palace of hedonism, while Baron Harkonnen was a floating embodiment of greed and corruption. Both are larger-than-life (literally), ruling over their domains with a creepy sense of indulgence.
Let’s not skip the weapons, either. It’s all about the lightsaber in Star Wars—those glowing blades wielded with unmatched precision. Over in Dune, the Fremen warriors have their knives, which are sacred and sharp as their beliefs. Different tech, same lethal energy.
The galactic foot soldiers also have a lot in common. Star Wars threw out the faceless Stormtroopers, enforcing the Empire’s will across the galaxy. In Dune, it was the Sardaukar, the brutal elite fighters of the Emperor. Both squads were deadly, disciplined, and dressed to intimidate.
And, of course, what would Dune be without its iconic sandworms? These behemoths rule Arrakis’s deserts, revered by the Fremen as near-divine creatures. Star Wars had its nod to these giants with the Sarlacc pit—a much smaller but equally fearsome creature that almost swallowed Boba Fett for good. Dune and Star Wars drew from the same mythological well, mixing in desert landscapes, chosen ones, mystical powers, and epic battles of good versus evil.
Sure, they took different paths, but they’re connected in more ways than one. So, when watching Dune: Part Two, remember—you might just be catching a glimpse of a galaxy far away.
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