Summary
Nearly six months afterDune: Part Twodominated cinemas, audiences are set to return to Frank Herbert’s sci-fi world inDune: Prophecy. The HBO series is set thousands of years before the events of Villeneuve’sDunemovies, but a new trailer promises the series will be no less epic.
Dune: Prophecy(previously titledDune: The Sisterhood) comes fromAltered CarbonandWestworldwriter Alison Schapker and adapts material from Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’sSisterhood of Duneprequel novel. TheTV series follows two Harkonnen sisters, Valya (Emily Watson) and Tula (Olivia Williams), who go on to establish the mysterious sect known as the Bene Gesserit. In theDunemovies, Paul Atreides' mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) is a known member of the Bene Gesserit who, by that time, had become a powerful and influential group with ties to many of the great houses.Dune: Prophecywill explore the roots of the mysterious sisterhood as well as the origins of the Kwisatz Haderach prophecy.
HBO Releases New Dune: Prophecy Trailer
A new trailer forDune: Prophecywas releasedon YouTubefollowing its premiere at New York Comic-Con. The footage sets up a brewing war between the great houses and sees Valya and Tula scheme to secure the throne and protect the Imperium. Mark Strong’s Emperor Javicco Corrino is the reigning ruler, who must maintain peace in an Imperium “surrounded by vipers”. Corrino mentions a pivotal location in the trailer, claiming that a key goal of his is to maintain control of Arrakis, which confirms the iconic planet from theDunemovies will be a part of the new series. Afew of Arrakis' giant sandwormscan also be spotted in the trailer.
Another key player inDune: Prophecyis Travis Fimmel’s Desmond Hart, a soldier who warns the Emperor of the Gene Besserit’s power plays, describing it as a war “hidden in plain sight.” Desmond will clearly be an antagonist for the Harkonnen sisters throughout the series as he rallies a force intent on wiping out the sisterhood. Glimpses of new characters played by Jodhi May, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Chris Mason, Josh Heuston, Tabu, and Shalom Brune-Franklin, were also revealed in the new footage. Finally, the trailer confirmedthe release date forDune: Prophecyto be Jun 20, 2025, which places its premiere a week after the finale ofThe Penguin.
The sisterhood draws women from many worlds to advance our species and govern the future - Valya Harkonnen
One big takeaway from theDune: Prophecytrailer is that the budget of the series is seemingly on par with that of the movies. The series is set10,000 years before the events of theDunemoviesbut is clearly intent on maintaining the style and world that Villenueve established. The visual effects inDune: Prophecymatch the quality of those inDune: Part OneandDune: Part Two, and the series also shares a similar costume, tone, and style. The next movie in Villenueve’s film series is set to be Dune: Messiah, but with the release of that film still years away,Dune: Prophecywill no doubt be able to satisfy fans while they wait.
Dune: Prophecywill premiere on Max on July 10, 2025.
Dune
Based on the novel by Frank Herbert, Dune follows the story of Paul Atreides played by Timothée Chalamet, whose family take control of a planet that holds the key to faster than light travel, and certain mental powers. This futuristic fantasy world is rife with politics, religion, wars and betrayals, as empires and factions fight for control over the planet.
