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| Image Credit: HBO |
The upcoming HBO/Max series Dune: Prophecy will be a prequel and spin-off of Denis Villeneuve’s celebrated Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two (2024). Following the critical and box office success of Dune: Part Two, which is still the second highest-grossing film of 2024 at the time of writing, HBO/Max will debut its first original Dune series in November. The six-episode series will delve into the origins of the Bene Gesserit, led by Emily Watson’s Valya Harkonnen, Olivia Williams’ Tula Harkonnen, and Mark Strong’s Emperor Javicco Corrino.
The series, originally titled “Dune: Sisterhood,” is based on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s 2012 novel Sisterhood of Dune. Both Anderson and Brian Herbert, the son of original Dune author Frank Herbert, have been named executive producers on Dune: Prophecy, indicating that the story will closely follow the plot of Sisterhood of Dune, which is chronologically the fourth book in the entire Dune series. The cast of Dune: Prophecy will feature a host of all-new Dune characters, led by Emily Watson, Travis Fimmel, Camilla Beeput, Sarah Lam, Mark Strong, Olivia Williams, Jodhi May, and more.
Dune: Prophecy is set 10,000 years before the Dune films
Dune: Prophecy takes place 10,000 years before the Paul Atreides narrative that begins in Frank Herbert’s novel and Villeneuve’s two Dune films. This means that it is almost certain that Chalamet’s iconic character will not be present in the upcoming Max series, nor will any of the original characters seen in Villeneuve’s celebrated Dune films. As one of the earliest chronological installments in the Dune franchise, Dune: Prophecy will focus specifically on the formation of the Bene Gesserit. This will likely include an overview of how the Bene Gesserit’s magical mysticism came to be.
Dune: Prophecy will detail how the Bene Gesserit was initially founded, established itself, and gained mass influence. Focusing on the origins of the Bene Gesserit will open up one of the darker and more mysterious aspects of the Dune universe, and may make some parts of the prophecy in Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two easier to understand. There will be a clear connection between the Harkonnens and the Bene Gesserit, as two of the series’ protagonists, Emily Watson and Olivia Williams, are Harkonnens and the most powerful leaders of the sisterhood. Dune: Prophecy will explore how the Bene Gesserit began pulling the intergalactic strings that ultimately led to Paul’s rise in Dune.
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| Image Credit: HBO |
What’s Known About the World of Dune: The Timeline of Prophecy
Reverend Mother Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) is seen in a close relationship with the ruling Corrinos in Dune: Part Two, so the series is expected to explore the origins of their alliance.
At the time of writing, HBO/Max is keeping many specific plot details for Dune: Prophecy under wraps. Based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune, Dune: Prophecy will star Valya and Tula Harkonnen and Emperor Javicco Corrino, ancestor of Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV (Christopher Walken) and Princess Irulan Corrino (Florence Pugh) seen in Dune: Part Two. Reverend Mother Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) is shown to have a close and quietly manipulative relationship with the ruling Corrinos in Dune: Part Two, so the series is expected to explore the origins of their apparent alliance.
The Atreides are also expected to feature in Dune: Prophecy with the introduction of Keiran Atreides, an ancestor of Paul and Leto, who will be played by Chris Mason. According to the “Sisterhood of Dune” plot, Dune: Prophecy will take place after the Battle of Corrin and the Butlerian Jihad, an ancient cataclysmic event that leads to the destruction of all forms of computers and advanced AI technology. It’s likely that the Harkonnen sisters, who begin their sisterhood in Dune: Prophecy, will begin their long breeding program that will play out in subsequent Dune installments.
How Dune: Prophecy Connects to Dune 1 and 2
If there are any direct connections to be drawn between Dune: Prophecy and the two Dune films, it’s not Paul but Paul’s mother, Jessica. The Bene Gesserit originally forced her to give birth to a daughter rather than a son, who became Paul. Dune: Prophecy could hint at the origins of the Bene Gesserit’s sophisticated breeding plans and show how the sisterhood became so deeply ingrained in the minds and pockets of the Corrino family. Dune: Prophecy will likely chronicle the rise of the Bene Gesserit themselves and have nothing to do with Paul, though all of the major Dune houses will have an ancient presence.
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