The Dune franchise, thanks to its uncompromising commitment to theatrical scale, has become a pop culture phenomenon in no time. From a pandemic-era hybrid release to a billion-dollar franchise, Denis Villeneuve has brought Frank Herbert’s historically unadaptable sci-fi epic a long way. And now, he is preparing to take audiences on this journey for a third time with Dune: Part Three. But fans will not have to wait that long for their next taste of sci-fi magic.

Even though it sits in a different corner of sci-fi, Battlestar Galactica will easily scratch that itch for genre fans. 

Battlestar Galactica, created by Glen A. Larson and rated 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, is something sci-fi fans will find plenty to love in. It shares key themes with Dune, like the dangers of artificial intelligence, heavy religious prophecies, and apocalyptic survival. However, Dune and Battlestar Galactica differ fundamentally in their settings, the true nature of their villains, and their views of destiny. The Timothée Chalamet-led film is set in a highly structured, neo-feudal galactic empire, where power is divided among an Emperor, influential noble houses of the Landsraad, and monopolistic space guilds. 

Meanwhile, Battlestar Galactica centers on the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, a democratic and militarized society governed by a president and a military fleet commander, which eventually transforms into a desperate democracy focused on survival. While the enemy in Dune is human, in Battlestar Galactica, it is purely technological. Nevertheless, the core themes remain familiar enough to keep Dune fans entertained before the theatrical spectacle arrives in a double dose on December 18. 

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December 18 will witness one of the greatest theatrical showdowns after the 2023 Barbenheimer phenomenon. However, it is not that hard to predict the winner this time.

Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three are scheduled for a massive box-office showdown on December 18, both releasing on the same day. However, unlike the narrow gap in box office performances in the Barbenheimer showdown, this time the difference can be huge. Industry analysts predict that Doomsday has the potential to cross $2 billion, given that every previous Avengers movie so far has cleared $1.4 billion. Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the franchise further raises the stakes. 

Meanwhile, no single Dune movie has grossed a billion dollars on its own, but the two-film franchise combined has surpassed the $1 billion mark globally. If things go right, the third part can hardly make a $1 billion finish, not more than that. But before the next big-screen sci-fi showdown splits pop culture down the middle once again, fans can take a breather with the genre masterpiece that is Battlestar Galactica.

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What do you think about Battlestar Galactica as a Dune replacement? Let us know in the comments!