It is a distant galaxy in the far future. The year is 10191. Arrakis is a desert planet, Arrakis is the only source of 'Melange' a vital drug used by the Guild Navigators for space travel from star system to star system. Two rival families, The Atreides and The Harkonnens, fight for control of the mining operations of Melange on Arrakis. When his father Duke Leto Atreides is assassinated by the evil Baron Harkonnen. Duke Leto's son Paul and Paul's mother Lady Jessica flee deep into the desert and are befriend by the Fremen, natives of Arrakis. Due to the influence of the 'Melange' Paul learns he has special powers and he can see into the future. Paul unites the Freman and forms a army of warriors and leads them into battle against Baron Harkonnen and the corrupt Emperor Padishah Shaddam IV who is in league with the Harkonnen's and vows to avenge his father and sets out to liberate Arrakis and it's people from the Emperor's rule and fulfill his destiny.

Ridley Scott worked on bringing the film to the screen, but was unsuccessful. H.R. Giger (who worked with Scott on Alien (1979)) was hired as a production designer.

Paul:
Stilgar, do we have wormsign?


Stilgar:
Usul, we have wormsign the likes of which even God has never seen.

Revealing mistakes: Some shots were reversed. The most obvious is when Paul Atreides takes the Water of Life; the nose piece of the stillsuit changes sides many times during that scene.