Whether you’re a Frank Herbert purist and a card carrying Bene Gesserit ready to cheer the quizat haderach Muad'dib to glorious battle with Baron Feyd-Rautha or you just think Timothee Chalamet is a hottie, this weekend is all about “Dune: Part 2” for movie lovers. 

 

But, here, we find ourselves with a problem. How do you prep for a movie about a planet devoid of water in a city that floods up to your eyeballs? Well, this is Bangkok. You can find anything. So, grab your best stillsuit and crysknife and get out of your sietch for the biggest film event so far this year.  

 

 

Denis Villeneuve’s new movie, like “Oppenheimer,” is IMAX catnip. Unlike “Oppenheimer,” “Dune: Part 2” is going to be a wild, action-heavy melee of war, violence, and worm-riding. You’re going to want a big screen. 

 

Luckily, the IMAX theaters in Bangkok are from Major Cinema and, as we all know, they have the best popcorn. What’s more, three Bangkok cinemas got the so-called “Imax with Laser” upgrade in 2022. These include Paragon Cineplex inside Siam Paragon, Mega Cineplex inside Mega Bangna, and the Icon Cineconic inside Iconsiam. There are three other IMAX theaters in Bangkok, including the centrally located Quartier Cineart at the plush EmQuartier, Westgate Cineplex, and Major Cineplex Ratchayothin. 

 

If you’re less about the audio visuals and more about making a night of it, you can try the Embassy Diplomat Screens at Central Embassy. They’re a splurge at the best of times, but to really go all out, you can get a large day bed for two for B4,000 in their Hall 1. 

 

Dune landed on a weekday in Thailand which means a lot of fans will be flocking to the cinema for an evening or late night slot. So if you just got off work or school and want to kill time while still staying hyped, here are some places to be. 

 

 

Bangkok doesn’t get that dry, but you also don’t really need a reminder of the effects of a scorching sun. If you just want to look and not feel like trekking through the desert, Charoenkrung’s Tangible is an art space and cafe currently doing a heatwave exhibition. The venue reminds you of the scorched lands while keeping you hydrated with their refreshments—and thankfully not your own recycled sweat.

 

 

It’s not a secret that Dune takes a lot of architectural and design aspects from various cultures, especially some references to medieval Japan which can be seen in Caladan, the homeland of house Atreides. What better way to celebrate Dune than sipping some premium grade Japanese imported Matcha at Phloenchit’s Ksana. As a plus, their interiors mimic the textures and shapes inside a cave—only a lot less hardcore than a Fremen sietch. 

 

If you want to bring out your inner Paul Atreides, join the club at Void, which would be very at home in this Denis Villeneuve film. This Charoenkrung spot serves inventive mocktails amid a minimalistic decor and dim lighting perfect for brooding or starting your anti-hero arch.

 

 

“It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere,” according to the famously bad lines of young Darth. Well, Dune actors just get on with it. To get into their head space, hit up Asoke Sports Club. It’s not desert warfare, but you can give volleyball a go. Sandworm riding is strictly prohibited. 

 

Chaophraya’s river front beach club and co-drinking space, Seven Days a Week, is open from now until the end of March. The Dune universe is everything but a tropical paradise so there’s nothing that’ll make you more grateful to live in this universe than sinking your feet in the sandy “beaches” and snacking on some great F&B.

 

 

If you’re looking for a place to debrief with a nightcap in hand and recreate the iconic poster, believe it or not, there are a few Bangkok bars that can do the trick. Sundry’s four storey building is a nod to the gradient warm hues of dusk to dawn. Siwilai Radical Club’s all tangerine exterior is also a strong contender and the newly opened Dry Wave Cocktail Studio’s rippling walls give off the ambiance of watching the sunset in an open plain.

 

 

For all those who prefer the David Lynch version—and there really are a surprising amount of them—you can Dune-out on Sunday at Arcadia Barcade for the 1984 version starring Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, and Sting as Feyd Rautha.