“Dune: Half Two” stays among the best blockbusters of the 12 months, a superb piece of filmmaking about faith, revenge, and large worms. Nearly as good because the film is, nevertheless, it leaves out a number of the worldbuilding and context that makes the supply materials by Frank Herbert so particular, resembling the precise motive why the spice is so necessary to controlling the universe, how the Bene Gesserit gained a lot energy and affect, and what precisely mentats do.
That is the place “Dune: Prophecy” is available in. Beforehand titled “Dune: The Sisterhood,” the HBO prequel collection is about 10,000 years earlier than the occasions of Herbert’s authentic novel, telling the story of how the Bene Gesserit order was created within the aftermath of the Butlerian Jihad (during which “considering machines” have been worn out and banned). Given simply how absurdly lengthy the time hole between the collection and the “Dune” motion pictures is, there may be loads of room for “Dune: Prophecy” to cowl. However simply how lengthy can the collection truly go on for? And can we ever get to the purpose the place it connects on to Denis Villeneuve’s first “Dune” movie?
Throughout a press occasion attended by /Movie, govt producer Jordan Goldberg talked about desirous to do extra seasons of the present to “maintain these characters within the story.” “There’s so many issues to the touch upon on this universe,” Goldberg mentioned. “I am hoping we will go so long as we will. I imply, the present is named ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ so we’re simply getting began actually about how all this involves be 10,000 years later with Paul Atreides.”
Dune: Prophecy will inform the story of your entire Imperium
Regardless of beforehand being titled “The Sisterhood” and based mostly totally on the e book “Sisterhood of Dune,” “Dune: Prophecy” will not simply monitor the origin of the Bene Gesserit. As a substitute, as govt producer and showrunner Alien Schapker defined, the scope of the collection modified throughout its growth. As such, “Dune: Prophecy” is now set to chart not solely the origins of the Bene Gesserit, but additionally the origins of “this imperium at this youthful second, at this fragile second, popping out of the wars, rebuilding.” This consists of telling a narrative in regards to the Imperial household, and likewise one about Arrakis.
Maybe extra importantly, Schapker teased that future seasons will have a look at the opposite books within the “Nice Colleges of Dune” trilogy and go to different colleges that rose within the wake of the Butlerian Jihad — just like the Mentat college and the Suk college. These are massively necessary to the story of “Dune,” but they have been all however ignored in Villeneuve’s first two “Dune” motion pictures. Nonetheless, the issue with “Dune” as an expansive universe is that the world exterior of the Paul Atreides story is ever-moving, but additionally sort of stagnant till he exhibits up and ruins everybody’s plans. The narrative is so centered on how he and his household change historical past that to discover the gaps earlier than his ascendancy might simply fall into pointless and over-explainy prequel territory. Nonetheless, seeing as Villeneuve’s subsequent “Dune” film might arrange future e book diversifications, there’s an opportunity “Dune: Prophecy” will permit audiences to raised get to know and care in regards to the different homes not named Atreides — making their eventual downfall hit all of the more durable.
“Dune: Prophecy” premieres on HBO and Max on Sunday, November 17, 2024.