Tag: dune

Stories That Shine: Audiobooks and Podcasts To Enjoy This Awards Season

February 28, 2025

Awards season is a celebration of cinematic excellence, but the best stories often start on the page. From a beloved Wizard of Oz retelling to the captivating biopic of a music icon, many of this year’s most lauded films were inspired by books. On Spotify, enjoy the full experience: Immerse yourself in the original stories via audiobooks, then explore podcasts with insightful commentary and behind-the-scenes coverage of the season’s biggest films. Here are some editor-approved picks to begin your journey.

Audiobooks

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

By Gregory Maguire
Narrated by John McDonough
Inspired Best Picture nominee Wicked

As unforgettable as its green-skinned witch, this is the book that inspired the Tony Award–winning hit musical and major motion picture of the same name. Gregory Maguire’s Wicked reimagines the story of one of the most feared and hated characters in all of literature: the Wicked Witch of the West, who, as Maguire tells us, wasn’t nearly as Wicked as we imagined.

Dune: Book One in the Dune Chronicles

By Frank Herbert
Narrated by Scott Brick, Orlagh Cassidy, Euan Morton, Ilyana Kadushin, and Simon Vance
Inspired Best Picture nominee Dune: Part Two

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune: Book One in the Dune Chronicles follows Paul Atreides, the heir to a noble family caught in a web of treachery that sets him on a journey toward a greater destiny. The Frank Herbert masterpiece combines adventure, mysticism, environmentalism, and politics, making it one of the most influential works in science fiction.

Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties

By Elijah Wald
Narrated by Sean Runnette
Inspired Best Picture nominee A Complete Unknown

On July 25, 1965, Bob Dylan shocked the world at the Newport Folk Festival by playing electric guitar, marking the birth of rock as a cultural force. In Dylan Goes Electric, Elijah Wald offers fresh insights into the night that reshaped popular music, exploring the clash between folk and rock, Dylan’s artistic evolution, and his complex relationship with the folk movement and mentor Pete Seeger.

Discover more books that have sparked films and TV shows on Spotify’s “From book to screen” shelf.

Podcasts

Before Hollywood’s biggest night, catch up on preshow coverage to get the inside track on the season’s most anticipated moments.

The Big Picture

Episode: “The 2025 Alternative Oscars, a.k.a. the 5th Annual Big Picks!”

Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins hand out alternative awards for the major categories, plus their own fun picks—the snubbed, the beloved, and more.

Episode: “Final 2025 Oscar Predictions: Who Will Win and Should Win”

Sean and Amanda dive into the latest news on the 2026 movie slate and make their final predictions for the 2025 winners, losers, and everything in between.

The Town with Matthew Belloni

Episode: “Inside Tips to Predict the 2025 Oscar Winners”

Matt Belloni is joined by top talent manager Michael Lasker to sift through the awards season buzz and share tips for finding a gambling edge on the big night.

For post-show coverage, tune back in to The Big Picture and The Town, as well as Ringer Dish for a special episode covering red-carpet reactions and viral surprises.

Comedians Henry Zebrowski and Holden McNeely Break Down ‘Dune’ in Spotify Exclusive Podcast

March 15, 2021

Since its original 1965 publication, Dune, the six-part book series by Frank Herbert, has gained a worldwide following and earned its way into the literary hall of fame. The sci-fi sensation—a futuristic tale about a man who must navigate power and politics on the desert-like planet of Arrakis—is even being made into a blockbuster film adaptation slated for October starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. But fans don’t need to wait too long for new Dune content: Spotify’s new exclusive podcast Dune, hosted by Henry Zebrowski and Holden McNeely, brings a comedic take to the story that both longtime fans and science fiction newbies will enjoy.

That’s right: Last Podcast on the Left host Henry Zebrowski and Wizard and the Bruiser host Holden McNeely are coming together to take fans on an interstellar journey through Dune. Listeners can expect this show to carry the same edgy comedic spin the duo are known for. “Dune is made by the same powerful nerds who made Last Podcast on The Left and Wizard and the Bruiser,” Henry says. “The lessons hidden inside the books have changed my life in ways that have made me more difficult to love, but easier for me to rule the galaxy!”

Holden shares that he first picked up the acclaimed series thanks to Henry’s recommendation. “I soon got lost in an incredibly well-developed world and hero’s journey that said more about the universe and our place in it than pretty much anything else I’ve ever read,” explains the comedian.

The podcast includes 12 episodes that will bring an hour of laughs for both longtime sci-fi lovers and Dune newcomers. “Listen to the podcast if you love Dune and, more importantly, if you’ve never been able to love it but wish you could,” says Holden. 

Check out the first episode below.