The Dune universe is set to expand even further with the upcoming release of a new spin-off series, Dune: The Prophecy.
Mark your calendars for November 17, as that’s when the highly-anticipated prequel series lands. Excitement surged this past Thursday at New York Comic Con where the announcement was made accompanied by a tantalising first-look trailer.
Set a whopping 10,000 years prior to the events of the current Dune films, Dune: The Prophecy will plunge viewers into an epic narrative featuring two Harkonnen sisters who tackle ominous threats jeopardising humanity and lay the groundwork for the legendary Bene Gesserit sect.
A-listers Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Jodhi May, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Shalom Brune-Franklin, and Faoileann Cunningham makeup the illustrious cast. The highly anticipated HBO Max series comprises six episodes, all slated for airing on the announced date in November.
Following the reveal and the launch of the trailer, there has been a flurry of activity from Dune enthusiasts on various social media platforms, voicing their approval of what’s to come, reports the Mirror.
A fan expressed their enthusiasm on YouTube, saying: “Holy Mother. HBO is cooking on another level this year. Some truly excellent shows they’ve lined up. Penguin, and now this!”.
Meanwhile, a Reddit user couldn’t contain their excitement: “A HBO series focused only on the political games and machinations of the Dune universe? Sign me the f*** in. Loved Villeneuve’s movies but this was an aspect I felt was sorely missing from them. Hopefully the writing is on par for the presentation.”
One viewer noted: “Well… you can see the money on screen, and i appreciate that. i hope that writing is as strong as the visuals.”
Another observer shared: “Not gonna lie, this looks pretty dope from a production level. But like most TV series, it will ultimately live and die by how good the writing is.”
The first instalment of Dune hit cinemas in 2021, achieving major box office success with $407 million in revenue from a $165 million budget. The lead actors, Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, reprised their roles in Dune: Part Two, which was hailed by Steven Spielberg as “one of the most brilliant sci-fi films”.
Released earlier this year, it shattered the records of the first film, earning $714.4 million globally. A further sequel, based on Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel, is currently in development under the title Dune Messiah.
Dune: The Prophecy drops on November 17 on MAX while UK viewers can watch it on November 18 on Sky and NOW TV