When it comes to science fiction epics, nothing beats "Dune". Once thought to be unfilmable, this galaxy-spanning saga was brilliantly brought to life by director Denis Villeneuve in 2021's Oscar-winning "Dune" and 2024's "Dune: Part 2."

News of a third film in the series has been widely whispered but not yet confirmed, despite Villeneuve saying that he "always saw" the "Dune" film series as a trilogy and that he would "love to make 'Dune' into a movie" in 2021: but in 2021, said that he "always saw" the "Dune" film series as a trilogy, and that he would like to make "Dune: Messiah" into a film someday as the final part of the series.

While fans wait eagerly to hear if Villeneuve will get a chance to continue the saga, here are a few movies Dune fans might enjoy in the meantime. From an old-fashioned desert epic to a new vision of the near and distant future, here are five films to check out if you like "Dune."

Directed by Denis Villeneuve ("Dune"), this tense sci-fi thriller tells the story of linguist Louise Banks, who is tasked with communicating with aliens who have flown to Earth. As she attempts to unravel the mysteries of the alien language, she discovers that the alien's method of communication transcends our sense of time. As she understands their language, she is able to see the long-term consequences of the important choices she will make in the future.

Like "Dune," "Arrival" is a thought-provoking film that blends elements of science fiction with linguistics and philosophy, inviting the viewer to challenge her own notions about the nature of time and free will. Like the spice in "Dune," the alien language of "Arrival" unleashes dormant psychic powers in humans, radically altering the future with serious consequences.

Although the film's themes are very heavy, Villeneuve's skillful direction keeps the action going and immerses the audience in a captivating story in which suspense and intellectual exploration are seamlessly intertwined.

Streaming on Paramount Plus

If you like the philosophical undertones of "Dune" about the nature of humanity and how wealth and power structures can affect the fate of humanity throughout the galaxy, "Blade Runner" and its sequel, "Blade Runner 2049" should be right up your alley.

The original "Blade Runner," released in 1982, follows Rick Deckard after he is tasked with finding and killing a synthetic known as a replicant, bioengineered by the powerful Tyrell Corporation to work on a space colony. However, Deckard discovers that these replicants possess powerful emotions, leading him to question the true motives of the Tyrell Corporation and his own beliefs about what it means to be human in the 21st century.

The sequel, Blade Runner 2049, takes place 30 years after the events of the original film and follows the mysterious disappearance of Rick Deckard and Officer K as he investigates the Wallace Corporation's efforts to manufacture replicants to expand interstellar colonization. Fans of "Dune" may take a special interest in the sequel, as Denis Villeneuve directed the film in the two years between 2016 and 2017, just before he began work on the first "Dune" film.

Streaming on Netflix

One of the main reasons the story of "Dune" continues to resonate with audiences more than 60 years after its initial release in 1965 is because of the heavy environmental themes that continue to influence literature and film today. The original story of "Dune" is often cited as an important influence on Hayao Miyazaki's first original animated film, "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

The animated film is set thousands of years in the future on a post-apocalyptic Earth and tells the story of Nausicaa, a teenage princess of the Valley of the Wind, who fights to save her jungle habitat from extinction by the Kingdom of Tormekia. This habitat is toxic to humans, but is home to thousands of insect-like creatures, and Nausicaa believes they must be protected at all costs. This thought-provoking film was a huge hit in Japan and was the starting point for the famous Studio Ghibli.

While Dune specifically delves into the dangers of resource exploitation and ecological imbalance, Nausicaä takes a more optimistic view, focusing on the potential for healing and coexistence between humans and nature. Neither film, however, turns a blind eye to the destructive forces of war or the extreme consequences of ignoring the environment.

Stream on Max

Another film set in the far future, Mad Max: Death Road to Rage, takes place in a dystopian future where resources are scarce, society has completely collapsed, and the last survivors of humanity have formed factions under various warlords. The film pits Imperator Furiosa against Immortan Joe, a warlord who continues his iron grip on the community by controlling the water supply.

Like "Dune," "Mad Max: Death Road to Rage" depicts a resource-poor, unforgiving world where an oppressive regime controls vital resources and subjugates the population. In "Dune," Halkonen rules Arrakis with an iron fist; in "Fury Road," Immortan Joe rules the water. Both stories are inspiring tales of oppressed people fighting oppression with their lives in the name of liberation.

Stream on Max

While most of the films on this list belong to the science fiction genre, fans of "Dune" may also enjoy the epic historical drama "Lawrence of Arabia." The film is based on the true story of T.E. Lawrence, a British officer who led the Arab uprising against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Lawrence was a British officer who was killed by the Ottoman Empire in 1914. Lawrence, however, soon became sympathetic to the Arab cause and gradually became a leader within the Arab army due to his strategic acumen, knowledge of the desert, and ability to unite disparate Arab tribes.

The film explores the complex dynamics of war, identity, and colonialism, and fans of "Dune" will recognize parallels between the stories of Paul Atreides and T.E. Lawrence, who revolted against oppressive forces against a complex cultural background. One is set in the past, the other in the far distant future, but both stories tell of an endless chain of conquests and the eternal quest for true liberation and freedom.

Streaming on Netflix