Dune: Prophecy arrived on Max in late 2024, and the prequel series has already been renewed for a second season. Dune: Prophecy takes place 10,000 years before the events in Dune and reveals how the powerful Bene Gesserit formed in the universe and came into their position of immense power. However, the road to television has not been an easy one, with the streaming series going through major changes since it was announced, both in of creative talent and the actors involved.

Originally, Dune: Prophecy news revealed that Denis Villeneuve was adapting the story to the small screen along with his work at bringing the main Dune story to the big screen. That wouldn't last, and the series underwent more than one change in the position of the showrunner. After the main actor also left early in 2023, a new lead actor was signed on, and a new director came on board to helm the series. Despite all that turmoil, Dune: Prophecy lived up to expectations when it arrived in late 2024, and set the stage for the Frank Herbert-inspired show to become a longrunning TV hit.

Dune: Prophecy Season 1 Critical Reception

A Mixed-But-Positive Reception For The Debut Season

Garnering a respectable score of 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, the series rarely earned high praise but also never got panned either.

Unlike the universally praised movies in the recent Dune franchise, Dune: Prophecy was met with somewhat mixed reviews from critics. Garnering a respectable score of 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, the series rarely earned high praise but also never got panned either. The much harsher aggregator, Metacritic, offered a score of 64%, and it seems as if an average rating of just north of 50% seems to be common. Many reviews pointed to the intriguing if dense lore of the series, which is simultaneously interesting and overwhelming. One thing that no critic could fault was the high production value.

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Dune: Prophecy season 1 premiered on November 17, 2024.

Dune: Prophecy Season 1 Cast Details

Who Stars In The Dune Prequel?

The cast of Dune: Prophecy changed a lot before it finally got to air, and several cast exited. However, Olivia Williams (The Crown) eventually signed on to play the lead role of Tula Harkonnen. Tula is an early member of the House Harkonnen who murdered her husband Orry Atreides on her wedding night. Emily Watson (Chernobyl) plays Tula's older sister, Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen, the second Reverend Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit Order.

Mark Strong (Shazam!) signed on to play Emperor Javicco Corrino who is described as "a man from a great line of war-time Emperors, who is called upon to govern the Imperium and manage a fragile peace." Jade Anouka (His Dark Materials) plays Sister Theodosia, "a talented and ambitious acolyte at the Sisterhood who harbors a dangerous secret about her past." and Chris Mason (Broadchurch) signed on to play Keiran Atreides, “a Swordmaster to a Great House [who] forms an unexpected connection to a member of the royal family."

The cast includes:

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Dune: Prophecy Season 1 Trailers

Watch The Trailers Below

HBO Max released two trailers, alongside the confirmation that the show was still slated to arrive later in 2024. In the teaser, which reveals the show is set 10,000 years before Paul Atreides' birth, the Bene Gesserit conspire with early Harkonnens to assume the control they would later exercise in future centuries. However, the trailer also reveals that the rise to power came with great consequences.

Max finally released a full trailer for Dune: Prophecy in October 2024, and it reveals the specifics of the prequel's plot. The Sisterhood schemes to control the throne of the Empire, but Emperor Javicco Corrino's grasp on the crown is slipping. Clearly lusting for the power that is offered through control of Arrakis, the Sisterhood is faced with another challenge when Desmond Hart arrives and offers to help the Emperor rid the Imperium of the Sisterhood altogether.

Dune: Prophecy Season 1 Ending & Spoilers

What Happens 10,000 Years Before Dune?

After a season's worth of political intrigue and twists, the ending of Dune: Prophecy season 1 indicated that the journey of the Bene Gesserit was just getting started. Befitting a sci-fi franchise with some of the most dense lore in history, the series finale offered a few answers to lingering questions while also blowing the lid off the fragile balance that was struck in the halls of power. All this adds up to quite the hook for an sophomore season, and it's clear that Max has long-term plans for the Dune prequel series.

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Dune: Prophecy Season 2 Setup

Season 2 Is Already Confirmed

Though there was some speculation about whether Dune: Prophecy would be a miniseries, that issue was quickly resolved by the finale of season 1. Offering almost no conclusions whatsoever, the season 1 finale actually destabilized the entire situation, making a sophomore season a necessity. Fortunately, Max wasted no time in renewing the series for a second season, meaning the prequel will return for more in the near future.

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