The team behindDune: Prophecyhas given a promising update on the show’s future beyond its debut season. The series serves as a prequel to Denis Villeneuve’s films and focuses on the early days of the powerful Bene Gesserit order. Set 10 thousand years before Paul Atreides' rise, the series explores how the Sisterhood gained power through politics, spirituality, and genetic manipulation. Emily Watson and Olivia Williams leadtheDune: Prophecycastas Valya and Tula Harkonnen, the ancestors to the main villain of Villeneuve’s movies.
In a recent interview withColliderat New York Comic Con, co-creator/showrunner Alison Schapker and executive producer Jordan Goldberg shared their insights into the creative direction and ambition behindDune: Prophecy. In discussing the show’s focus on the origins of the Bene Gesserit, and how the studios pushed them to make the series as epic as possible, the duoconfirmed they have “plans within plans” for the show’s future, even teasing that Warner Bros. Television and Legendary have “been eager” to discuss them with the team. Read their full quotes below:
SCHAPKER: We do have a plan, and they’ve been eager to hear all of it.
GOLDBERG: They want it character-driven, they want it thought-provoking, and they just asked us to constantly make it surprising, propulsive, and visually breathtaking. When you say the word Dune, Dune requires large-scale filmmaking. HBO, Max, Legendary, they never told us to pull back. They always told us to push and make it an epic, and that’s what we did.
OLIVIA WILLIAMS: They also say they haven’t destroyed the set in Hungary, so that’s always a good sign.
WILLIAMS: A 10,000-year plan. Timothée’s born.
SHAPKER: That’s so right. We’ve got plans within plans in every way, measured in centuries. No, I mean, we do. It will come as no news that our show centers around the Bene Gesserit, but when they’re called the Sisterhood, so we’re in this sort of incipient organization, and then how do they become the Bene Gesserit? That is a multi-season journey to be on, and that is very much the story we wanna tell.
GOLDBERG: Their moves are generational. They are in the long game, so there’s plenty of story to tell.
What This Means For Dune: Prophecy’s Future
There Is A Lot More Left To Say
These comments seemingly confirm thatDune: Prophecyis morethan just a spin-off project to complement the movies, but isintended to be a cornerstone of theDunefranchisethat will hopefully carry the same scale and narrative ambition. Goldberg’s comments regarding the support from the studios to make the series “surprising, propulsive, and visually breathtaking” point to a production scale that matches the magnitude of Villenueve’s films. It also suggests thatDune: Prophecyis being created with the same level of care and ambition that the original films are famous for.
Dune: Prophecy Timeline - How Long Before The Movies It’s Set
Dune: Prophecy will take place several millennia before the events of Dune but will still feature Harkonnens, Carrinos, Atreides, & the Bene Gesserit.
The fact that the story is focused on the early days of the Sisterhood opens plenty of exciting possibilities for the show. The Bene Gesserit are notorious for their “plans within plans”, andthe writers seem to be embracing this mentality by crafting a narrative that is meant to unfold slowly and across multiple seasons. This long-term format of storytelling allows the show space and time to properly examine not only the origins of the order but also the political and societal structures that shaped Villenueve’sDuneuniverse over millennia.
Our Take On The Potential For Future Dune: Prophecy Sequel
The Sci-Fi Epic Universe Is Expanding
By focusing onthe Bene Gesserit’s origins,Dune: Prophecyhas a unique chance to delve into the unexplored areas of Frank Herbert’s universe. The show could also build a bridge between new and longtime fans, both from the movies and the book series, by offering a fresh and detailed take on the iconic Sisterhood.
If done right,Dune: Prophecycould establish itself as one of the defining prequel series of recent times, similar to whatHouse of the Dragonhas done for theGame of Thronesuniverse. With the studio’s ongoing support and a clear plan in place, the series has all it needs to become a successful and long-running prequel.
Dune: Prophecyis set to premiere on November 17 on HBO, and streaming on Max.
Dune: Prophecy
Cast
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.
