Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies are unbelievable, but the Lord of the Rings franchise beat them to the punch on one crucial storytelling aspect. These two major franchises can be distinguished for their unique capability of combining blockbuster entertainment with cinematic excellence, bringing arguably the greatest works of fantasy and science fiction literature to life in the most authentic way possible. The Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings movies and the Villeneuve Dune movies are the undisputed, definitive adaptations of two iconic stories.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books were released between 1954 and 1955, with Frank Herbert’s prolific Dune novel being released just a decade later in 1965. Despite their similarly epic scope and genre-defining world-building, these novels have great differences thematically. In fact, Tolkien allegedly disliked Herbert’s book despite its widespread acclaim. However, there’s a major component of Tolkien’s story that exists in Dune, and it’s not often regarded as one of its primary qualities.

LOTR & Dune Both Show Male Relationships In The Same Way

Both Franchises Show Healthy Masculinity Between Male Protagonists

The Fellowship in Lord of the Rings and the men of House Atreides in Dune have a lot in common. Both Tolkien and Frank Herbert were precise in crafting male relationships that demonstrated healthy masculinity and a keen sense of camaraderie. The film versions of these stories importantly incorporate this in a similar fashion. Sure, there’s humor and teasing between characters like Legolas and Gimli or Duncan Idaho and Paul, but it’s always portrayed with an apparent sense of mutual respect and admiration.

These are meant to be exemplary men, and it’s telling of how Herbert and Tolkien viewed masculinity.

The men in both of these stories aren’t afraid to show physical affection to each other and be vulnerable around one another. These are meant to be exemplary men, and it’s telling of how Herbert and Tolkien viewed masculinity. Frodo and Sam are an obvious example, so consider Aragorn as an alternative. At the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, when all hope is lost, he holds Gimli and Legolas by their shoulders to remind them to “stay true to each other.” Leto Atreides passes along similar gestures to Paul and his other household men.

Lord Of The Rings & Dune’s Trick Is Important

It’s Important For Media To Show Exemplary Behavior To Male Audiences

Demonstrating masculinity in this manner is so vital, especially regarding action-heavy blockbuster movies that are typically oriented to male audiences. There are countless examples of male protagonists in movies who either demonstrate poor behavior toward women or struggle to collaborate with other men. The buddy cop genre is practically built around hard-headed men who have to learn how to work together, and though it’s often played for laughs, these are still the examples male viewers will often look to as aspirational.

Someone can watch The Lord of the Rings or Dune and enjoy them for the action and adventure. In Dune’s case, one might even enjoy the complexity of Paul’s descent into villainy, which differentiates it from Tolkien’s more hopeful message. However, it’s impossible to deny that these stories exemplify positive masculine bonds, vulnerability between men, and the unequivocally positive effect that comes from these qualities. It’s more prevalent in Tolkien’s work, but it’s still a crucial pillar of how Herbert constructs the characters of House Atreides, making them enjoyable to follow.

Dune Really Is The New Lord Of The Rings

Dune Has Embodied LOTR’s Cultural Presence From The 2000s

In terms of how it’s come to be perceived as a film franchise by the general public, Dune has taken the place of what The Lord of the Rings represented in the 2000s. Aside from just their portrayal of masculinity, both of these franchises represent massive, fascinating worlds, and their respective directors have portrayed them in such a way that they feel organic and lived in. They not only have the scale but also the details to fully draw the viewer in, introducing them to something spectacular. These are the franchises that long-term book lovers can truly celebrate.

While Denis Villeneuve was already a celebrated filmmaker before the Dune movies, the success of Dune: Part Two in 2024 has made him one of the most acclaimed contemporary directors. Peter Jackson has had less success outside of The Lord of the Rings franchise, but their names still hold the same prestige. They brought “unfilmable” books to life on the big screen, making them popular and respected by the masses. These stories have immense thematic differences, and that’s also important regarding how they reflect the cinematic language of their era.