We don’t really know when Dune 3 is going to happen. Timothée Chalamet has been busy learning guitar while Zendaya is reportedly hooked into doing another season of Euphoria soon, so there will be quite some time until we can revisit Paul Atreides.
Luckily, there are thousands of Dune stories to tell, thanks to the six original novels and various spinoffs, so HBO took this opportunity to bring Dune to the small screen in Dune: Prophecy. The upcoming series will be loosely based on the 2012 novel Sisterhood of Dune, written by Frank Herbert’s son, Brian Herbert.
On the administrative side of things, the series is now being branded as an “HBO Original” instead of a Max show, so keep that in mind so you don’t accidentally call it a Max Original. Here is everything else to know about the upcoming series.
Plot
Set 10,000 years before the events of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, the series will retell the rise of the all-powerful Bene Gesserit from the eyes of the women who were there. According to the official longline, the series “follows the Harkonnen Sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect known as the Bene Gesserit.”
Initially, Villeneuve was signed on to direct the pilot, though he had to drop when making Dune: Part Two. Still, he gave the series that Villeneuve seal of approval. “The Bene Gesserit have always been fascinating to me. Focusing a series around that powerful order of women seemed not only relevant and inspiring but a dynamic setting for the television series,” he said prevously.
Cast
Emily Watson and Olivia Williams star as Valya Harkonnen and Tula Harkonnen, respectively, two sisters who go on to establish what will later become the Bene Gesserit, the female religious order in the Duniverse. The sisters are part of the Harkonnen family, who have a longstanding feud with the House Atreides. You might recall Vladimir Harkonnen from Dune, played by Stellan Skarsgård. This is where that beef stems from. Familial trauma is everywhere!
Jodhi May will portray Empress Natalya, who is married to Emperor Javicco, portrayed by Mark Strong. Shalom Brune-Franklin stars as Mikaela, a Freman woman who serves the Royal family. Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Faoileann Cunningham, Aoife Hinds, Travis Fimmel, Jade Anouka, and Chris Mason also star.
Release Date
The series is slated to premiere in November. This will be a nice treat to hold fans over until the next Dune installment, which will hit theaters…eventually!
Trailer
Check out the teaser below: