How to watch 'Dune: Part One' online right now on Netflix, Max and more

Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson in a still from 'Dune: Part 1'
(Image credit: Warner Pictures)

Whether you're coming to the adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel for the first time or want to remind yourself of what happened in the lead up to the second and concluding part that's in cinemas now, we're here to explain how to watch "Dune: Part One" online and from anywhere with a VPN.

"Dune: Part One" streaming info

"Dune: Part One" is currently available to watch on various streaming services around the world.
• U.S. — Max
• U.K. — Netflix
• CAN — Crave (Coming Mar. 18)
• Watch anywhere – Try NordVPN risk-free trial

The good news, for old spice-lords and new fans alike, is that the Denis Villeneuve-helmed vision is available to stream from home in most countries. 

"Dune" is the tale of House Atreides, with son Paul (Timothée Chalamet), patriarch Leto (Oscar Isaac) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) the family that gains power over the spice-mining planet Arrakis.

While the Atreides family has enemies lurking in every corner, it also has allies, such as Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) the tough soldier who trains young Paul in combat.

The 'breathtaking' sequel may have started amazingly at the box office, but "Dune: Part One" had a lot of success in its own right. It made $434 million worldwide and bagged six Oscars.

Here's where to watch "Dune: Part One" online – no matter where you are in the world – and potentially for free.

How to watch 'Dune' on Netflix in the U.K.

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U.K. film fans can watch "Dune: Part One" on the planet's most popular streaming service: Netflix.

In the U.K., Netflix costs from only £4.99/month. That permits content in Full HD and up to two devices in the household watching at once, but is ad-supported.

It costs £10.99/month to watch ad-free, while £17.99/month gets Brits the Premium plan that ramps the picture quality up to 4K, adds immersive spatial audio and allows up to four simultaneous users.

If you're away from the U.K. and want to watch "Dune" on Netflix, then you'll need to <a href="http://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=564&url_id=10992&aff_id=3013&aff_click_id=hawk-custom-tracking&aff_sub2=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="go.nordvpn.net"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">use a VPN as it will be geo-blocked. Keep reading for more information on how.

How to watch "Dune: Part One" online from anywhere

Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching "Dune" on your domestic Netflix or other streaming subscription?

You can still watch the movie thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for film fans away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:

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There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features too. With over 6,000 servers, across 61 countries, and at a great price too, it's easy to recommend.

<a href="http://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=564&url_id=10992&aff_id=3013&aff_click_id=hawk-custom-tracking&aff_sub2=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="go.nordvpn.net"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Try the $3.99 per month plan for the best value

How to watch "Dune: Part One" online in the U.S.

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Americans can stream the first chapter of "Dune" on <a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/hbo-max" data-link-merchant="tomsguide.com"">Max right now.

Plans start from $9.99/month, or you can pay more to ditch the ads and improve the picture and sound quality.

If you're outside of the U.S., you can watch "Dune" online now by using a VPN such as <a href="http://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=564&url_id=10992&aff_id=3013&aff_click_id=hawk-custom-tracking&aff_sub2=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="go.nordvpn.net"" data-link-merchant="tomsguide.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">NordVPN.

How to watch "Dune: Part One" in Canada

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"Dune" is available to stream on Crave in Canada with subscriptions starting at $9.99/month.

Traveling in Canada? U.K. residents travelling in the Great North can access their usual streaming service from abroad with NordVPN.

Can I watch "Dune" online in Australia?

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Despite being released three years ago, "Dune: Part One" isn't available on any streaming services Down Under.

Instead, you'll need to rent or buy it on a VOD platform such as Amazon Prime Video, where it's currently $4.99 to rent and $14.99 to buy.

Traveling to Australia? If you're visiting from a country where this movie is available on a streaming service to which you already subscribe, then you can watch via a VPN. We think the best right now is NordVPN.


When is "Dune: Part Two" coming to streaming?

Despite only premiering at cinemas on March 1, the CEO and president of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav has already teased on a Q4 earnings call that "Dune: Part Two" will be available to stream on Max in the U.S. in 'spring 2024'. So not long to wait.

"Dune: Part One" trailer

"Dune: Part One" reviews

At the Washington Post, Michael O'Sullivan praised "Dune" as the movie that fans have been waiting for. He also called it "somehow almost purely pleasurable, and rarely tedious, despite its gargantuan running time and minor imperfections."

The New Republic's David Klion wrote "Villeneuve has made a heartfelt cinematic epic that is true to its source material both in its rich details and in its emphasis on the dangers of absolute power; that will hopefully inspire new readers to delve into that source material; and that is worth donning a mask for a few hours to watch on a huge screen."

Roxana Hadadi at Polygon had issues with the movie being all set-up for "Dune: Part Two". This review also notes notes that Paul's internal journey suffers from "muffled line deliveries and the script’s dampening of the religious elements that made this moment so important in the book," and that "the Fremen characters in Dune: Part One lack the interiority they need to come across as something other than stock types." Which, yes, that's right.

IndieWire's David Ehrlich damns the film by writing "Dune only resembles a dream in that it cuts out on a note so flat and unresolved that you can’t believe anyone would have chosen it on purpose."

"Dune: Part One" movie cast and crew

"Dune" is led by Timothée Chalamet. He's joined by an all-star cast of modern comic/sci-fi movie actors, including MJ herself, Zendaya. Plus Oscar Isaac and Josh Brolin.

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(Image credit: Chiabella James/Warner Bros. Entertainment)

Here is the main cast of "Dune":

  • Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides
  • Zendaya as Chani
  • Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica
  • Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho
  • Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck
  • Dave Bautista as Glossu 'Beast' Rabban
  • Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides
  • Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen
  • Javier Bardem as Stilgar
  • David Dastmalchian as Piter De Vries
  • Charlotte Rampling as Gaius Helen Mohiam
  • Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat
  • Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Liet-Kynes
  • Chen Chang as Dr. Wellington Yueh
  • Babs Olusanmokun as Jamis

Aside from director Denis Villeneuve, "Dune's" pedigree is strong even behind the scenes. Villeneuve co-wrote the script with Eric Roth (Forrest Gump). 

Villeneuve wasn't the original director, though, as Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) was originally tasked, but left before Paramount dropped "Dune" from its list of projects. Legendary Pictures would later acquire rights, and they brought Villeneuve to the table.

Hans Zimmer scored "Dune", and picked the project over Christopher Nolan's "Tenet", due to his own personal love of Herbert's book. 

"Dune" story: What's it actually about?

10,000 years in the future, the empire of the Imperium rules the world of Dune, which looks to be a more manageable massive space opera on the screen than it is on the page. The big story at the center of the story finds Paul Atreides, the son of Duke Leto Atreides, dealing with strife, a powerful drug known as The Spice and giant sandworms.

The story begins on Arrakis, where Paul is fighting for his life as his family takes over the mining of The Spice (also known as Melange). Complicating things is Baron Harkonnen, who was caricature-calibur evil in the books, though Villeneuve wants to turn into a more complex antagonist. 

On Arrakis, Paul's life changes once powers begin to manifest in his body, and his own goals begin to conflict with his family's politics.

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Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.

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