Dunetakes place more than 20,000 years into the future. The distance creates a fascinating gap, allowing for several cycles of human development to come and go. The characters live in a feudal system that feels pulled from the days of knights and kings, but they fly faster than light and wear shields that stop all projectiles. The first TV outing of Denis Villeneuve’sDuneseries endeavors to explore some of the space between.Dune: Prophecywill leap thousands of years before the birth of Paul Atreides.
It’s hard to know where Warner Bros. and the creative team will go withDune. The novels, comics, games, and short stories could conceivably provide enough material for a dozen more movies and several TV shows. On the other hand, every new outing risks ruining the special elements of the first two films.Dune Messiahwill beDenis Villeneuve’s third and finalDunefilm, capping off the story perfectly. Whether future filmmakers plan to continue the plot with future outings or not, they seem prepared to explore the past.
Release
Fall 2024
Dune: Prophecyis a prequel spin-off series of Denis Villeneuve’sDunefranchise. The series will depict the developmentof the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, which fans may recall in bothDunefilms. Legendary Pictures acquired the rights to Frank Herbert’s original 1965 novel in 2016. They tagged Villeneuve in 2017, bringing him in for his dream project. Legendary imagined a prequel TV series while Villeneuve shot the first film in 2019. They issued the series order for the show, which was then calledDune: The Sisterhood. The show’s announcement presaged a long and unpleasant streak of unfortunate happenings. Legendary hired a mostly male crew, eliciting criticism from many fans. Showrunners, producers, and directors leftDune: Prophecywith shocking regularity. Villeneuve stepped away in 2022. The show entered hiatus in early 2023. The latest news places sole showrunner Alison Schapker behind the camera for a series that should hit Max this fall. The first trailer dropped alongside the streamingrelease ofDune: Part Two.
Dune: Prophecytakes place 10,000 years before the events ofDune. This places it between the modern day and the distant future of the original novel.The Bene Gesserit sisterhoodemerged from a tradition of sorceresses from a planet called Rossak. Rossak had a harsh, toxic environment that negatively affected most of the babies born on its surface. A significant percentage suffered congenital defects and died young, but a small portion of their population survived unharmed. For unknown reasons, the infant girls born without disabilities tended to wield incredible psychic powers. These came in handy during the nightmarish galactic conflict known as the Butlerian Jihad. While humanity struggled to survive an extermination war against the thinking machines, the sorceresses of Rossak weaponized their minds to great effect. In the chaos that followed the Jihad, the sorceresses developed a hierarchy and studied ancient memories. Through long-term plans, they inserted themselves into every level of power.Dune: Prophecywill exploretheir methods, origins, and goals. A modern Reverend Mother describes their origin like this:
We have two chief survivors of those ancient schools: the Bene Gesserit and the Spacing Guild. The Guild, so we think, emphasizes almost pure mathematics. Bene Gesserit performs another function.
Dune: ProphecyFollows Early Harkonnen Family Members
Dune: Prophecywill shake up theDunefranchise in several significant ways. WhileDunefollows Paul Atreides and his family,Prophecywill cover the other side of the conflict. The two stars ofProphecywill portrayValya and Tula Harkonnen. Tula’s role in the books is limited, but Valya has a rich history. Valya Harkonnen was the second Reverend Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit. Valya grew up with the earliest version of her family’s feud. Her great-grandfather was Abulurd Harkonnen, a soldier in the Jihad who earned a treason charge after righteously defying Vorian Atreides' orders to save lives. Vorian’s punishment for Abulurd’s noble decision led House Harkonnen to renounce honor forever as they spent the next 10,000 years working to eliminate their enemies. Valya was one of the most dedicated seekers of vengeance.She developed the Voiceand mastered Ginaz swordmaster training to kill Vorian. She failed, but her mission cemented the war between noble families.
Dune: Prophecywill be a fascinating look into the distant past ofDune’s distant future. Though it’s 10,000 years before the events of the original films, the series will likely feelno closer to the modern day. This prequel could add a ton of fascinating depth to the world ofDune. By exploring a new perspective and a new part of the timeline,Dune: Prophecywill find endless interesting details in Villeneuve’s take on this classic sci-fi series.
