Spectators watching Dune: Prophecy you can notice a distinct difference between the Harkonnens in the TV series and Denis Villeneuve’s films. Dune: Prophecy The cast features esteemed actresses Emily Watson and Olivia Williams as Valya and Tula Harkonnen as they establish the Bene Gesserit order 10,000 years before the events of films. Actors Stellan Skarsgård, Austin Butler, and Dave Bautista played Harkonnen’s descendants much later in Dune timeline.
The film’s actors gave unforgettable performances, playing Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha and Rabban in a way that perfectly represented the villainy of Herbert’s novels. In addition to their actions, the the characters became distinguished by their pale, eerie skin and shaved headsgiving them a strong presence in the films. This pale skin was not only a characteristic of the Harkonnens, but a characteristic of all characters on the Harkonnen homeworld of Geidi Prime, such as their soldiers on Arrakis.
Dune: Prophecy’s Harkonnen characters don’t have pale skin
Dune: The Harkonnens of Prophecy are from Lankiveil
Valya and Tula Harkonnen are featured as some of the main characters in Dune: Prophecybut he also doesn’t have that distinct pale skin like the Harkonnen characters have in the films. While it may seem like a visual inconsistency, it is actually an intentional result of the world-building in the TV series. In episode 1, it is revealed that the Harkonnen characters in the TV series come from the planet Lankiveila planet based on cold water. This is a different location than Geidi Prime, where the Harkonnens in the films come from.
How Dune: Prophecy’s Timeline explains why Harkonnens looks different from the movies
The Harkonnen Home Planet switches to Geidi Prime between show and films
THE Dune films portray the Harkonnens with pale white skin and shaved heads due to the environment of Geidi Prime, their home planet. The planet’s black sun was also the reason why Geidi Prime’s scenes in the arena were filmed in black and white and regained color whenever someone entered. However, according to the expansion Dune tradition, Geidi Prime did not become their home planet until after the wars against the thinking machines. The war left a vacancy in the planet’s leadership that was filled by House Harkonnen.
Lankiveil, the planet where the TV show’s Harkonnen characters come from, is still ruled by the Harkonnens during the film, but has become the seat of the smaller House Rabban. At some point Dune In the timeline between the TV series and the film, it can be assumed that House Harkonnen migrated their home world to Geidi Prime. This could even be a plot in Dune: Prophecyas the Harkonnens in the show establish their power through various means.