Dune: Prophecyis the latest title in the long line of a franchise curse that began with the novelDune: House Atreidesin 1999. Frank Herbert wrote his original novel in 1965, changing the landscape of science fiction media forever, even serving as an inspiration forStar Wars. TheDunemoviesso far have been adaptations of Frank Herbert’s original book, with the next film being developed based onDune Messiah. HBO’s prequel series,Dune: Prophecy, on the other hand, is based primarily on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s 2012 book,Sisterhood of Dune.
Set 10,000 years before the movies onDune’stimeline; the HBO spinoff series expands on the world Frank Herbert originally created with material from the Brian Herbert books as well as brand-new ideas. It should first be mentioned that the series strictly isn’t bad. The production value is what one would expect from an HBO show andDune: Prophecy’scastis exceptional. With that being said,the series has been met with a much less stellar reception than 2024’sDune: Part 2, with a mediocre 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s worth breaking down why.
The Non-Frank Herbert Dune Books Weren’t As Good As The Originals
Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson’s Novels Never Reached The Same Level
Dune: Prophecy’sshortcomingscompared to the movies stem from an inherent weakness. While Denis Villeneuve got to adapt a prolific, genre-defining work of literature that’s highly regarded as one of the most imaginative novels ever written,HBO’s adaptation was of material from Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s books, which have never been as well-received as the originals. This results in an immense challenge in adaptation, as the writers are confined to an already established universe, limiting what they can create or change while also not having the most inspiring story to adapt from.
The main issue is that they exist in the shadow of a masterpiece, and they primarily lack the thematic depth and nuance that makes the 1965 novel so legendary.
LikeDune: Prophecy, the non-Frank Herbert books aren’t terrible. They’re decent books that expand the world with some interesting lore and characters. The main issue is that they exist in the shadow of a masterpiece, and they primarily lack the thematic depth and nuance that makes the 1965 novel so legendary. While a television adaptation examining theBene Gesseritmight sound good on paper, it, unfortunately, comes with the same relative disappointment and underwhelming feeling that the expansion books have always been known for.
Dune: Prophecy Cannot Compete With Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Movies
Dune: Prophecy Doesn’t Have The Depth Of The Dune Movies
Though Denis Villeneuve’s movies make changes to Frank Herbert’s originalDunetext, they’re widely perceived as the defining adaptations of the book. Like with Peter Jackson’sLord of the Ringstrilogy, being the defining adaptation of an iconic book comes with a toll on the franchise, as follow-ups struggle to be well-received. It’s not solely for the reason that audiences don’t want to accept new material, but also that the original sets such a high standard for what the franchise can be, and that gold standard becomes nearly impossible to top.
Dune: Prophecy Confirms Denis Villeneuve Performed A Miracle With Dune 1 & 2
The ambitious approach of HBO’s prequel series Dune: Prophecy confirms that Denis Villeneuve pulled off an extraordinary feat with his Dune movies.
Not only haveDenis Villeneuve’s movies already told what’s arguably the best story in theDuneuniverse, but they’ve done so with such respectable quality and visual beauty that anything less is painfully noticeable.Dune: Prophecyis shot well and matches the films in many aspects of their production value, but it’s not nearly as cinematic and doesn’t generate excitement in the same manner. The show won’t stand out by competing with the movies, so it has to focus on things like character development and a complex plot, things that feature film-length stories can’t offer to the same capacity.
Dune: Prophecy Highlights The Challenge Of Continuing Dune Without Villeneuve
The next problem at stake is that Warner Bros. may want to continue expanding the franchise beyond the current titles.Dune: Prophecyseason 2andDune: Part 3are in the works, but they likely won’t stop there.Dunebook readers can make arguments for the later Frank Herbert novels being as impressive or better in a particular way, but they’re not as popular, and with that factor comes the unfortunate circumstance that they might not be given the same resources or dedication that the first two books have in adaptation.
If theDunesaga hopes to continue afterMessiahwithout Denis Villeneuve on board, there are going to be some challenges for the franchise to overcome. Not to mention, the absence of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides could immediately damage the box office results, limiting the resources Warner Bros. would be willing to expend onChildren of Duneand the subsequent sequels.Dune: Prophecyhas highlighted potential long-term issues for this franchise. If Warner Bros. wants it to be one of their marquee titles, they’ll have to figure out how to tell exceptional stories without Villeneuve.
Dune: Prophecy
Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, Dune: Prophecy, a 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.
