THE Dune-iverse is expanding. A few months later Dune: Part Two premiered to critical acclaim, HBO is releasing Dune: Prophecya long-in-the-works prequel series set roughly 10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides and decades after the Butlerian Jihad (also known as the War of the Machines). Echoes of the past and future remain in the series developed by Diane Ademu-John and Alison Schapker, but Prophecy it quickly establishes itself as its own thing.
Prophecy is based on Dune romance Dune Brotherhoodwritten by Frank Herbert’s son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson. These novels, written after Herbert’s death, generate controversy among fans of the series: are they a way to make money or an effort to enrich the beloved science fiction universe established by the iconic author? Regardless of your opinion, Dune Massive World has officially made its television debut.
Dune: Prophecy proudly wears its TV Bonafides
The series follows the origins of the Bene Gesserit
The Bene Gesserit are a mysterious organization in the Dune movies, but Prophecy pulls back the veil to show the beginnings of the group that will accidentally elevate Paul Atreides to power. At this time of Dune universe, “thinking machines” have been banished and the Bene Gesserit see this as an opportune time to force their way into the corridors of power that the Great Houses occupy.
It is not yet known how they will get there. It involves the Corrino family, longtime administrators of the Empire and represented here by Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong, perfectly stoic) and his family, Empress Natalya (Olivia Williams) and her daughter Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina). The Bene Gesserit are trying to bolster their power by recruiting Ynez as one of their own before she is installed on the throne.
Overseeing this plan are Brotherhood leader Valya Harkonnen (the always formidable Emily Watson) and her sister, Reverend Mother Tula (Olivia Williams). But there are factions within the Bene Gesserit who reject the Harkonnen’s bids for power and seek a holier path. In the first episode alone, there’s enough death, betrayal, and intrigue to match Game of Thrones.
It’s a strong start to a series that Warner Bros. probably have high hopes. While Denis Villeneuve’s films are austere and brutal in their composition, Dune: Prophecy is filled with science fiction excess, less about the fringes of this empire and more about the people and planets that populate it. In your dual timelines, Prophecy explores the story of the Harkonnen sisters at the heart of the series, but its current timeline is much more extensive, encompassing rebellious conspiracies, mysterious messianic figures, and petty squabbles between the Great Houses.
I wonder how Dune: Prophecy will be able to reach a satisfactory conclusion or, conversely, if Warner Bros. is confident enough in the series to leave us on a cliffhanger
So it seems that Dune many have met in recent years? Yes and no. There’s talk of Arrakis, visions of sandworms, and that classic Bene Gesserit voice. But what does Dune: Prophecy feeling like a genuine extension of the films is also what sets it apart. There are echoes of what we see in the films, but they come in different tones, as if the return to the ascetic in the films is just beginning.
It’s a fascinating place to start from a visual standpoint, even if there are some pacing issues. The series still has the task of presenting a huge world, and although we are familiar with the architecture of the Empire, 10,000 years is a big gap and there are gaps to fill throughout the first four episodes that distract from the main focus of the plot. .
It made me wonder what the real plan is here. Some may find the series compelling enough to avoid feeling empty in the process – Watson alone is reason enough for me. With only six episodes in the first season (four of which were provided to critics), I wonder how Dune: Prophecy will be able to reach a satisfactory conclusion or, conversely, if Warner Bros. is confident enough in the series to leave us on a cliffhanger, forcing us to wait two to three years before we get any resolution.
Dune: Prophecy premieres Sunday, November 17th at 9pm ET on HBO. Season 1 consists of six episodes that will air weekly. It is rated TV-MA.
Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, this sci-fi epic follows the political and spiritual struggles on the desert planet of Arrakis. As factions vie for control of the prized spice melange, a prophesied hero emerges, challenging the balance of power and the fate of the galaxy.
- Dune: Propechy is a compelling vision of the Bene Gesserit.
- It feels like an extension of the Dune universe and an exciting new sci-fi venture.
- Emily Watson’s performance as Valya Harkonnen anchors the series.
- Too many settings distract from the series’ plot.