Dune is a Science fiction film from Warner Bros. It is one of the popular works of Frank Herbert, published in 1965, 12 years after the Star Wars: A New Hope movie was released.
Many have speculated about the similarities between the two iconic franchises, with numerous voices suggesting that George Lucas drew inspiration from Herbert's Dune series.
Having watched both Dune and Star Wars, we can't help but draw comparisons between the two. Read on and find out the fair share of similarities and differences between Dune vs Star Wars.
Star Wars & Dune: 17 Similarities You Didn’t Know Existed
1. The Jedi & Fremen
In the story of Star Wars, the Jedi is the guardian of peace. Meanwhile, the Fremen were initially victims of Harkonnen's dictatorship in Dune.
Then, they fight against dictators and invaders. Like Obi-Wan Kenobi, they reside on the desert planet and become the feared Tusken Raiders.
2. Luke & Paul
The protagonists of Dune and Star Wars involve a young man who lives on desert planets, destined for noble adventures that will dictate the fate of their universe.
Although Dune's Paul Atreides is more trained than Luke Skywalker, both can see the future life [1].
3. Krayt Dragons & Sandworms
Star Wars has plenty of alien creatures, such as sandworms. In Dune, the son of Paul Atreides, Leto II transforms into a sandworm-looking creature.
Like their Leto II counterparts, The Krayt Dragons were also seen on The Mandalorian, a mythical creature in Tatooine.
Read: Marvel vs Star Wars
4. The Skywalkers & House Atreides
Star Wars is about the battle between the Skywalkers and the Sith, while Dune is about the war between House Atreides and Harkonnes.
However, the Skywalkers are from a family of farmers and enslaved people in the desert, and House Atreides are royals of Caladan.
5. Tatooine & Arrakis: Sandy Planets
The desert planet Tatooine proves Dune's influence on the Star Wars galaxy. Luke Skywalker grew up there before he fought against the Empire.
Although the Atreides are rulers of the Caladan ocean, Paul made his home on Arrakis, the desert planet.
6. Mahdi & The Chosen One
According to the prophecy, Anakin Skywalker was considered the Chosen One, who was believed to bring balance to the force.
Similarly, the Fremen indoctrinate Paul Atreides as the Mahdi (The One Who Will Lead Us to Paradise), leading them to fight against the Empire and Harkonnens.
7. Leia & Irulan
Star Wars and Dune also have princesses. Princess Leia and Luke had a romantic connection, not knowing they were twins.
Nonetheless, Irulan and Paul had a complicated relationship since the princess conspired against him after knowing he only loved Chani, his concubine.
8. Cosmic In Scale
Since both offer space operas, their stories are truly cosmic in scale. Star Wars extends beyond the entire galaxy, while Dune is set in a desert universe, specifically in Arrakis.
However, like the Galactic Empire, Dune's Corrine Empire stretches on its universe in the movies.
9. Emperor Shaddam IV & Emperor Palpatine
Behind the film's main antagonists are dark masters who control everything. In Dune, the Padishah Emperor controls the entire galaxy.
Then, he seeks the help of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen to wipe out his enemies. The same goes for Emperor Palpatine, who manipulates everyone in the guise of Darth Vader.
10. Hyperspace & Space-Folding
Both universes involve interstellar travel, but they are done differently. Star Wars starship technology uses light speed to leap into hyperspace.
Dune requires Guild Navigators to consume Spice Melange, which is called space-folding. So, the Spice Melange is an essential resource in the Empire for space travel.
11. Anakin & Paul
Despite Paul's journey and character sharing many similarities with Luke, he also evidently resembles Anakin Skywalker.
Paul's quest for peace resulted in tragic consequences, where the Fremen released a jihad in his name. As for Anakin, it resulted in more devastation and deaths.
12. Crysknives & Lightsabers
If the Empire has the Death Star weapon, the Jedi have Lightsabers made from kyber crystals. Han Solo also has a lightsaber that Luke gave to him.
Likewise, the Fremen carry crysknives weapons made from the dead sandworms' teeth. Lightsabers burn through, while cyrsknives have lethal poison.
13. Sardaukar & The Stormtroopers
Stormtroopers is another popular Star Wars character, recognizable for its laser blasters and white armor.
In the same way, Dune also has the Sardaukar military force, which loyally serves the Corrine Empire and is secretly enlisted by Shaddam to get rid of the Atreides.
14. The Force & The Spice
Aside from the characters, the two films portray a religious culture linked to a certain energy source.
Dune takes the energy from Spice Melange consumed by Guild Navigators. This spice is similar to the force, allowing users to predict what lies ahead and become healthy and youthful.
15. Thinking Machines & Droids
The Star Wars universe gained massive popularity for the existence of artificial intelligence and droids, but in Dune, humanity rejects AI because it controls their lives.
They even have a saying, "Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind."
16. The Setting
Apart from the slug-like creatures and desert planets, both films take place on a faraway planet but in futuristic settings [2].
Dune transpired thousands of years in a futuristic world before humanity conquered the stars. In Herbert's novel, he also referred to the planet Earth as Old Terra.
17. Baron Harkonnen & Darth Vader
These films wouldn't be complete without the only antagonists, VadwithBaron Harkonnen. Vader is a human Sith Lord with a cybernetic suit armor to help him breathe.
Baron, on the other hand, is a morbidly obese villain who needs suspenders to walk.
18. Rebel Alliance Is Almost Similar To The Fremen
In both Star Wars and Dune, we witness the struggles of guerrilla fighters battling against the tyranny of imperialist forces. While the Rebel Alliance clearly resembles Dune's Fremen in their fight for freedom, there are notable distinctions between the two narratives.
Unlike the diverse origins of Star Wars Rebels, the Fremen initially emerged solely from Arrakis in Dune. The common thread of freedom fighters across both stories underscores a significant thematic similarity.
19. The Voice is a Jedi Mind Tricks
The authority of The Force resonates deeply within the Star Wars saga. In contrast, Dune doesn't feature a comparable omnipresence, particularly in the form of mind manipulation in their life.
Characters like Paul and Lady Jessica possess the ability to wield "the voice," enabling them to sway and dominate others.
20. Desert Survival
Desert survival is a key theme. While moisture farmers on Tatooine echo the dew collectors of Arrakis, survival methods differ. Suits are still vital in Dune but less emphasized in Star Wars.
Notable Differences
1. Multiple Settings
Dune is primarily set on the sandy planets of Arrakis, while Star Wars features multiple planets and environments, with Tatooine being one of the key desert locales.
2. Central Conflict
In Dune, the central conflict revolves around political intrigue and control over the spice melange, whereas Star Wars focuses on the battle between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire.
3. Power Dynamics
Dune explores themes of feudalism and the manipulation of power through political and religious institutions. At the same time, Star Wars delves into the struggle between the light and dark sides, with Jedi and Sith playing central characters.
FAQs
Is Star Wars based on Dune?
Based on their similarities, the story and many elements in Star Wars are inspired by Dune.
For instance, in A New Hope, Han Solo smuggled the drug Glitterstim from the Spice Mines of Kessel. The Dune universe also has a drug called the Spice Melange, which is used for space travel [3].
Is Dune older than Star Wars?
Although Warner Bros released the Dune film in 2021, it was Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Herbert's 1965 novel [4].
Meanwhile, Star Wars: The Original Trilogy was released from 1977 to 1983, so technically, Dune is older than the two franchises.
Why is Dune so similar to Star Wars?
In Dune vs Star Wars, since Dune Universe was created over a decade before the release of Star Wars, George was probably inspired by Herbert's novel and Flash Gordon while making his films.
Dune vs Star Wars: Which is Better?
Dune books are probably better novels. This novel has six originals, nine prequels, and two expanded volumes. Warner Bros is considering an HBO Max prequel TV show.
However, the original Star Wars picture is better than the 1984 Dune adaptation by David Lynch, so deciding which is better depends on one's preference.
Our team recommends the DUNE PAUL ATREIDES 3-PIECE DELUXE ENAMEL PIN SET for avid fans. Toynk offers free shipping for all items, including Star Wars collectibles, within the contiguous U.S. states (excluding Hawaii and Alaska).
References:
-
https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/dune-vs-star-wars-5-reasons-paul-atreides-is-nothing-like-luke-skywalker
-
https://nerdist.com/article/everything-star-wars-borrowed-from-dune/
-
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dune_2021