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TheDuneUniverse continues to expand with Denis Villeneuve’sDune: Part Twodebuting in theaters in 2024, and now the upcoming Max spin-off,Dune: Prophecy. The series serves as a prequel to Villeneuve’s two-part science fiction feature films. It focuses on the origins of the matriarchal order known as the Bene Gesserit (members of which are disparagingly referred to as witches and sorceresses), who rule from the shadows. The Corrino Imperium, asDuneviewers will recall, is the supreme body in the Known Universe, led bythe hereditary Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV.
The Imperium is a makeup of factions. Sandwiched between the Imperial Household and the Federated Great Houses of the Landsraad lies the Spacing Guild, which has a monopoly on interstellar travel. The immensely powerful Bene Gesserit Sisterhood smirks at this tripod organizational structure. It sees the Landsraad, the CHOAM Company, andthe Great Housesas “bits of flotsam in the path of the flood.” Thus, it is understandable why theDuneprequel series at Max would call attention to the mysterious Bene Gesserit through these fantastic characters.
What Is Dune: Prophecy About?
The novelSisterhood of Duneis the inspiration behindHBO’sDune: Prophecy. Published in 2012,Sisterhood of Duneis the first novel in Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’sThe Schools of Dunetrilogy, which itself is a sequel to the previousLegends of Dunenovel trilogy.
As the name suggests,Sisterhood of Dunefocuses on the formation of the Bene Gesserit, and takes theDunelore back to 10,000 years before the coming of Paul Atreides.HBO saysDune: Prophecywill explore two Harkonnen sisters who fought forces that “threatened the future of humankind"and established Bene Gesserit in the aftermath ofthe pivotal Machine Crusade in theDuneuniverse.
While an exact release date has not been announced yet,Dune: Prophecy’s cast andthe character guideare laid out.
Valya Harkonnen (elder and younger years)
Sister Theodosia
Emily Watson & Jessica Amy Barden As Valya Harkonnen (Elder & Younger)
British actorEmily Watson, who plays one of the Harkonnen sisters, Valya, gracestheDune: Prophecyteaser thumbnail on the HBO website. Watson previously played Jane Hawking’s mother, Beryl Wilde, in the feature filmThe Theory of Everythingand starred in the HBO miniseriesChernobyl.She has been cast asMother Superior, Valya Harkonnen inDune: Prophecy.Watson’s Valya is the principal focus of the show, as she is one of the two Harkonnen sisters behind the establishment of the proto-religious sect that later came to be known as the Bene Gesserit.
Jessica Amy Barden plays Valya Harkonnen in her younger years in a recurring guest star role (perVariety). Barden appeared in the black comedy seriesThe End of the F—ing World,American Horror StoriesSeason 3, as well as ITV’sYou & Me. She gracesDune: ProphecyOfficial Teaser 2 thumbnail as a younger Valya and is at the center stage of the opening action in the said teaser.
Olivia Williams As Tula Harkonnen
British actorOlivia Williamsplays the second of the Harkonnen sisters,Tula. Williams has many British and American film credits to her name, such as 1999’sThe Sixth Sense,2009’sAn Education, 2010’sThe Ghost Writer, 2012’sAnna Karenina, and 2017’sVictoria & Abdul. She is particularly remembered for her portrayal of Camilla Parker Bowles in the last two seasons ofNetflix’sThe Crown.
Tula is spotted in the HBO teaser, as Watson’s Valya says, “I am trying to protect the Imperium.“She is one of the prominent members of the Sisterhood, members of which are known to exertmental and physical powers. HBO calls Tula a “Reverend Mother,” thus a higher-up in the Sisterhood.
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina As Princess Ynez
Danish actorSarah-Sofie Boussnina, whose acting credits include the TV seriesThe Bridge, playsPrincess YnezinDune: Prophecy. Boussnina starred in the TV series 2017’sKnightfall, and the 2014 Danish filmThe Absent One. HerDune: Prophecycharacter, Princess Ynez, is the the daughter of Javicco Corrino and Natalya. Because of her position, she is grappling with the huge responsibility of inheritingthe Golden Lion Throne.
Mark Strong As Emperor Javicco Corrino
Renowned British actorMark Strongis cast asEmperor Javicco Corrino. Strong has been a part of movies such asZero Dark Thirty(2012),The Imitation Game(2014), Kick-Ass (2010), andShazam!(2019),1917(2019), andCruella(2021), among others. He’s also been a part of the television industry, starring as Terry ‘Tosker’ Cox and Harry Starks in BBC Two drama serials,Our Friends in the North(1996) andThe Long Firm(2004), respectively.
Mark’s addition toDune: Prophecyis exciting. He plays Princess Ynez’s father,Emperor Javicco Corrino. According to Variety’s description of the show, Javvico is:
…a man from a great line of war-time Emperors, who is called upon to govern the Imperium and manage a fragile peace.
Jodhi May As Empress Natalya
Jodhi May’s name is attached to movies such asThe Last of the Mohicans(1992), and the BBC television filmThe Other Boleyn Girl(2003). She appeared in the BBC One dramaThe Amazing Mrs Pritchard(2006), the British period drama film,The Warrior Queen of Jhansi(2019), and the recurring cast ofNetflix’sThe Witcher. Interestingly, May also had a minor role as Maggy the Frog inGame of Thronesseason 5, episode 1 “The Wars to Come.”
InDune: Prophecy, May playsEmpress Natalya, married to Emperor Javicco Corrino. According to the aforementionedVarietyarticle, Empress Natalya’s marriage to Javicco"united thousands of worlds.“PerDeadline, May was recast after the previous actor, Indira Varma, left due to scheduling conflicts.
Shalom Brune-Franklin As Mikaela
British and Australian actorShalom Brune-Franklinhas had several acting roles, such as Private Maisie Richards in BBC’sOur Girl(2017-2018), Umm Khulthum inThe State(2017), Ella inLove Me(2021) and Aoife in the Australian seriesDoctor Doctor. Brune-Franklin played Estella in 2023’s drama miniseriesGreat Expectations. Her most recent credit includes 2024’s British black comedy miniseriesBaby Reindeer, in which she played Keeley.
Brune-Franklin plays the FremenMikaelainDune: Prophecy.The Fremen, as Herbert’s readers and Villeneuve’sDuneviewers will recall, are the natives ofthe desert planet Arrakis. Mikaela’s loyalties lie with House Corrino and, of course, the Fremen.Deadlinebills the character as:
…a strong-willed Fremen woman who serves the royal family while longing for a home planet she’s never known.
Faoileann Cunningham As Sister Jen
Faoileann Cunninghamis perhaps best known for playing Ryl in the 2022 Netflix TV miniseriesThe Witcher: Blood Origin. The show serves as a prequel to the Netflix series,The Witcher. Cunningham portrayed Kormlöth in the historical action movieThe Northman(2022) and is all set to mark herDune: Prophecydebut, come November, in which she playsSister Jen.Sister Jen’s loyalties lie with the Sisterhood. The Deadline article describes her as:
…a fierce, unpredictable acolyte in training at the Sisterhood School who rarely reveals her emotional core.
Chloe Lea As Sister Lila
Chloe Leastarred inKaty(2018), and appeared inFoundation(2021), andGreat Expectations(2023). She playsSister LilainDune: Prophecy.Lea’s Sister Lilais the youngest acolyte in the Sisterhood, and has"a deep empathy beyond her years”(per Deadline).
Travis Fimmel As Desmond Hart
Travis Fimmel, widely recognized for his portrayal of Ragnar Lothbrok in the History Channel television seriesVikings, plays the mysterious soldierDesmond HartinDune: Prophecy. He is also known for his role as Anduin Lothar in 2016’sWarcraft. More of Fimmel’s credits include the sci-fi seriesRaised by Wolves(2020), the crime drama seriesBlack Snow(2023), and the coming-of-age Netflix seriesBoy Swallows Universe (2024). InDune: Prophecy,Desmond tries to please the Emperor and serves as a counterpoint to the Sisterhood.
Jade Anouka As Sister Theodosia
Jade Anoukais known for Steve McQueen’s British anthology drama seriesSmall Axe(2020) and the miniseriesTrauma(2018). More of her credits includeCleaning Up(2019) andHis Dark Materials(2020). Anouka is also a stage actor and most recently played a recurring role inBeforeigners(2021).
Anouka playsSister Theodosiain HBO’sDune: Prophecy. An acolyte in the Sisterhood, Sister Theodosia hides a dangerous secret about her past.
TheDuneprequel series will premiere on HBO and stream on Max in November.
