“Dune“
Prophecy”
Starring: Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May, Mark Strong, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina
American science fiction drama in six parts
Premiere on Max Sunday, November 17
Creator: Alison Schapker
Directors: Anna Foerster, John Cameron, Richard J. Lewis
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Until Denis Villeneuve cracked the code in 2021, it was an accepted truth that Frank Herbert’s ”Dune” novels were impossible to film. Too intricate, too enigmatic. Not even the impeccable enigmatic David Lynch succeeded. His attempt in 1984 was considered a costly turkey.
The TV series “Dune: Prophecy,” based on books written by Herbert’s son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson in the 2010s (father Frank passed away in 1986), has not had a similarly long and convoluted history. But there has been much back and forth.
The series was originally announced as far back as 2019, when it was intended for Villeneuve himself to direct. Then there were many door slams from directors, producers, and showrunners who came and went over the years (Swedish Johan “Chernobyl” Renck resigned in early 2023).
The script was rewritten and revised. When watching the finished series, it is easy to imagine HBO executives hovering over the writers as they worked, tapping them on the shoulder and asking if they could kindly create something that resembles a bit more of “Game of Thrones” …?
The first episode introduces a multitude of characters, is wildly confusing, and will scare off anyone who does not already have an above-average intense relationship with Villeneuve’s films or – ideally – the many books about Herbert’s science fiction universe.
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“Dune: Prophecy” takes place over 10,000 years before the events of the films and Paul Atreides’ birth, and over 100 years after the so-called “Butlerian Jihad” – humanity’s war against the “thinking machines” (AI paranoia, hello!).
What the series nominally will be about is the rise of The Sisterhood, later known as Bene Gesserit, a sisterhood that has developed superhuman abilities after generations of mental training.
The original head of The Sisterhood, Mother Raquella, passed away 30 years earlier, and chose Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson), daughter of a “Great House” (read: a family) that fell into disrepute during the war, as her successor. She is the one who will decipher the title’s prophecy and see the “burning truth” of an impending catastrophe.
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What is the connection between Frank Herbert’s original “Dune” novels and the new series “Dune: Prophecy”?
The new series “Dune: Prophecy,” premiering on Max on November 17, is created by Alison Schapker and directed by Anna Foerster, John Cameron, and Richard J. Lewis. While Frank Herbert’s original ”Dune” novels were long deemed too complex to adapt for film—an assessment underscored by David Lynch’s infamous 1984 movie—the new series takes inspiration from works written by Herbert’s son, Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson. The development process for ”Dune: Prophecy” has seen its fair share of challenges, with various directors and producers passing on the project since its announcement in 2019. Although the series aims to capture the intricate world of Herbert’s science fiction saga, the first episode may prove daunting for viewers unfamiliar with the broader narrative, presenting a slew of characters in a potentially disorienting way.