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Denis Villeneuve’sDune: Part Twowas the first blockbuster of the year and what better than to close it off with another revisit to Arrakis? Max’sDune: Prophecyis all set to debut on the streaming platform soon and the recent trailer promises an intense political drama with action-packed sequences.
WhileDune: Part Twowriter Jon Spaihts was initially set to be the showrunner, he left to work on the film and was promptly replaced by Diane Ademu-John and Alison Schapker. The six-episode series will reportedly be set 10,000 years before the movies and will focus on the Bene Gesserit. Here is everything you need to know aboutDune: Prophecy.
When IsDune: ProphecyReleasing?
After Legendary Entertainment bought the rights to Frank Herbert’sDunenovels, the studio began the process of adapting the novels to film and expanding it to create a franchise. While there have been other iterations of the novels, none seemed to have done justice to Herbert’s vision of Arrakis.
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WhileDenis Villeneuvewas hired to develop the film adaptations, Legendary also announced that a prequel series titledDune: The Sisterhoodwould be made for HBO’s streaming platform Max (viaDeadline). After a series of false starts and delays, the series was renamedDune: Prophecyand began production in 2022.
Dune: Prophecywill debut on Max on July 20, 2025.
What IsDune: ProphecyAbout?
While Denis Villeneuve’sDuneduology merely showed a glimpse of the political prowess of the Bene Gesserit,Dune: Prophecywill reportedly delve deeper into the sisterhood. Set 10,000 years before the films, the series will be centered on two Bene Gesserit sisters in House Harkonnen tasked with ‘combating forces that threaten the future of humankind’ (viaVariety).
In theDuneuniverse, an event known as the Butlerian Jihad is said to have taken place 10,000 years before the adventures of Paul Atreides. This event is said to be a war between humanity and ‘thinking’ machines, leading to the complete destruction of the latter and the rise of a feudal system of governance that fans see in the main storyline.
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This event also led to a rise in training institutes and secret societies that train humans to do complex tasks without computer assistance, with the Bene Gesserit being one of these societies. As the trailers indicate, using the Voice was one of the most important skills of a sister and the series may delve deeper into this lore.
Being a prequel series,Dune: Prophecymay show the origins of how the Bene Gesserit sowed the seeds of the Lisan-al-Gaib in Arrakis and how the two protagonists navigated the transformative time in the universe.
Who Stars InDune: Prophecy?
TheDunefranchise till now has commanded a star-studded cast. While the films saw modern-day A-listers pair up with seasoned performers like Josh Brolin, Christopher Walken, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem,Dune: Prophecyhas a cast of stalwart actors. Emily Watson stars as Valya Harkonnen, the leader of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood.
Olivia Williams also stars as Tula Harkonnen, the sister of Valya and the Reverend Mother. Other members of the main cast include Jodhi May, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Shalom Brune-Franklin, and Aoife Hinds. Travis Fimmel, known for his roles inVikingsandRaised by Wolveswas cast as Desmond Hart, a man who stands in the way of the sisterhood.
Mark Strongstars as Emperor Corrino, the ancestor of Christopher Walken’s Emperor Shaddam IV of House Corrino. Australian actor Josh Heuston and Indian actress Tabu also appear as recurring cast members.
Is Denis Villeneuve Part OfDune: Prophecy?
While theDunefilms are an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s masterful novels, they seem to have received a classy and worthy adaptation due to director Denis Villeneuve’s singular vision. The filmmaker, who previously madeSicarioandBlade Runner 2049,seemed to be the perfect choice for the story of a reluctant messiah in a parched land.
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During its development, Villeneuve was reportedly set to direct the first episode ofDune: Prophecy. According toVariety, the filmmaker was set to direct and write the pilot along with screenwriter Jon Spaihts, who would then serve as a showrunner. However, due to his work onDune: Part Two, Villeneuve chose to remain as an executive producer.
The show went through multiple personnel changes, withSpaihts exiting the seriesto concentrate onDune: Twoand other showrunners such as Dana Calvo and Diane Ademu John also joining and then departing the series. Alison Schapker remains the sole showrunner of the series with Anne Foerster directing the pilot and more episodes (viaDeadline).
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2416
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
