Summary
- Dune: Prophecy is a prequel set 10,000 years before Paul Atreides, focusing on the Bene Gesserit Sisters.
- The trailer showcases familiar Dune elements like the Bene Gesserit and Harkonnens, expanding the world.
- Dune: Prophecy helps bridge the gap between Dune films, satisfying viewers with its fall release.
The first trailer for franchise's Bene Gesserit. The Bene Gesserit are a cultish group in the Dune universe trained to resist the Voice. They have several mystical abilities, including the power to control their own fertility.
Now, Max has released the first trailer for Dune: Prophecy. The trailer opens by explaining the timeline in which Dune: Prophecy is set, which is “10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides.” The trailer explores the founding of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, including their rise to power that “comes with a price.”
The Harkonnens also play a role in the trailer, as one of the main characters is Valya Harkonnen. The end of the Dune: Prophecy teaser trailer revealed that the show will be released this fall.
Why Dune: Prophecy Is Great For Expanding The Dune Universe?
Prophecy Provides More Context About The Bene Gesserit & Their Origins.
Even though it is a prequel set years before the events of Dune, the Prophecy trailer features several elements familiar to the cinematic universe. This includes the Bene Gesserit themselves and the Harkonnens, revealing different aspects of the Arrakis social groups. The sleek black spacecraft also bears resemblance to those seen in both Dune installments. One moment in the trailer shows two characters fighting with holographic shields similar to those in the Denis Villeneuve movies.
While Dune: Prophecy is set in Frank Herbert’s universe, it does not seem to be directly based on one of his books.
While Dune: Prophecy is set in Frank Herbert’s universe, it does not seem to be directly based on one of his books. This opens up creative liberties in exploring the universe, particularly to expand on the Bene Gesserit and how their sisterhood was established, while still bringing elements from Herbert's novel. This includes learning about the group's early traditions and practices and how their network evolved as they instituted relationships with great houses. It is unclear how crucial House Atreides would be involved in the early days, but House Harkonnen seemingly has a role in the prequel series.
The prequel comes at a time when there is a high demand for Dune 3, but Villeneuve has previously stated that his adaptation of Dune: Messiah would require some time as he pursues other projects. With a release window of this fall, Dune: Prophecy can make up for that time as a way to further explore the universe's worldbuilding and mythology. Dune: Part Two received rave reviews, so expectations will be high for the Max prequel series. Luckily, the trailer is off to a promising start for Dune: Prophecy, visiting the epic sci-fi world that precedes before Paul.
Who Is In the Cast of Dune: Prophecy?
Dune: Prophecy focuses on the women of the universe
As a prequel series, Dune: Prophecy will include entirely new cast . This cast is led by Williams as Tula Harkonnen and Watson as Vayla Harkonnen. In addition to these two, it will feature British actress Camilla Beeput in the role of Reverend Mother Dorotea. Sarah Lam will step in to play Hagal Truthsayer, and Jodhi May will play Natalya. Outside of the budding Sisterhood, Travis Fimmel plays Desmond Hart and Mark Strong plays Emperor Javicco Corrino.
Dune: Prophecy Cast |
|
Actor |
Character Name |
Camilla Beeput |
Reverend Mother Dorotea |
Sarah Lam |
Hagal Truthsayer |
Emily Watson |
Valya Harkonnen |
Olivia Williams |
Tula Harkonnen |
Travis Fimmel |
Desmond Hart |
Jodhi May |
Natalya |
Mark Strong |
Emperor Javicco Corrino |
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina |
Princess Ynez |
Josh Heuston |
Constantine |
Chloe Lea |
Lila |
Jade Anouka |
Sister Theodosia |
Faoileann Cunningham |
Sister Jen |
Aoife Hinds |
Sister Emeline |
As evidenced by the main cast, one of the big shifts Dune: Prophecy will make is to focus on female characters. Dune: Part Two did see Lady Jessica have key moments with the Bene Gesserit, but largely focused on Paul’s arc. Paul is arguably much more dynamic and fleshed out than Chani or even his mother, Jessica. Dune: Prophecy will give the series a chance to better explore a wider array of characters that populate the world of Arrakis, this time centering on the women of the planet instead of the oft-emphasized men.
How Dune: Prophecy’s Timeline Will Impact Its Storytelling
Dune: Prophecy gave itself ample creative license
Setting the series 10,000 years before the events of Dune is a bold but strategically wise choice for Dune: Prophecy. On the one hand, this seems like a fairly distant past from the events of Dune. It makes it impossible for any characters to cameo, and it sets up a world so far in the past that one may wonder how this social system of the Bene Gesserit was maintained over such a long duration of time. In thousands of years, one might think that the culture will have shifted more than is implied between Dune: Prophecy and the films.
That said, the genius nature to this timeline decision is that Dune: Prophecy can do pretty much anything it wants canon-wise. Given the chasmic separation between the origin of the Bene Gesserit and the likes of Paul, Dune: Prophecy can expand the lore significantly and likely explain any confusion away through the elapsed time. Hopefully the series takes an opportunistic approach to these world-building chances without sloppily extending the lore to the point of massive confusion.
Source: Max
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.
