Dune: Prophecyexecutive producer Jordan Goldberg, while atNew York Comic Con, explains how the 10,000-year time jump from the movies impacted the show. Developed by Diane Ademu-John and Alison Schapker, the upcoming MaxDuneshow is based on the writing of author Frank Herbert.Dune: Prophecy’s storytakes place many centuries before the time of Paul Atreides as depicted in Denis Villeneuve’s two movies, chronicling the creation of the Bene Gesserit order, with a focus on the lives of Harkonnen sisters Valya (Emily Watson) and Tula (Olivia Williams).
Speaking withScreen Rantat NYCC, Goldberg addressesDune: Prophecy’s significant time gap from the two movies, explaining how this affected the approach to the story. Ultimately, he says, this kind of long-form storytelling over millennia is in keeping with franchise tradition as outlined in Herbert’s books. As far as the show’s connections to the movies, Goldberg explains thatDune: Prophecywill explore some persistent themes and dynamics in that world, but that the time gap also allowed for some creative freedom. Check out his comment below:
“It’s very exciting to be that far away because it allows us some room to play. But, at the same time, these are families that go on for 10,000 years and feuds that go on for 10,000 years and institutions that grow up. So, in some ways, we’re looking at the young Imperium and the films are much more advanced, but they do have echoes through time and I think that’s very Dune — to not be afraid of long plans.”
What Dune: Prophecy’s Time Gap Means For The Story
The Harkonnen Family Will Be Very Different In The Max Series
One of the biggest changes inDune: Prophecyfrom the movies is that the protagonists of this story are Harkonnens. The Harkonnen family have served as the central antagonists in both of Villeneuve’s movies. Even thoughDune: Part Tworeviewswere glowing,that film doesn’t afford a lot of nuance to its Harkonnen characters, painting them all, generally, as deplorable people. The show now has an opportunity to complicate this dynamic.
Dune: Prophecy’s Timeline Can Set Up A Better Post-Dune 3 Future Than The Books
As a prequel set centuries before the events of Paul’s story, Dune: Prophecy can properly set up a satisfying ending to the core eight-book Dune Saga.
With so muchtime betweenDune:ProphecyandDune,the show can further flesh out the world of the story, adding depth to the Harkonnen family and perhaps planting the seeds for events and characters still millennia away. What’s more, the show, since it focuses extensively on the Bene Gesserit order, can now more fully explore this mysterious group’s plans and just how they see their role in the shaping of the universe. The Bene Gesserit’s main mission, after all, is to essentially genetically engineer a supreme being, a process that takes many centuries.
Our Take On Dune: Prophecy’s Time Gap From The Movies
The Max Show Can Avoid Common Prequel Pitfalls
While the long-termstorytelling of theDuneuniversemeans that some familiar elements can be explored inProphecy, the time gap means that the show, hopefully, won’t fall into the trap that some other prequels fall into. With so much time before Paul’s birth and his eventual rise,the show could avoid feeling like an extended prologue for more interesting events to come, where the ultimate ending of some storylines is already known.
By taking place so far in the past,Prophecywill seemingly be able to establish clear stakes during its own unique story instead of feeling burdened with laying groundworkfor the future. While it will be a struggle to recapture the epic feel of Villeneuve’s movies,Dune: Prophecywill hopefully serve as a thrilling expansion of this vast storytelling universe.
Dune: Prophecy
Cast
Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, Dune: Prophecy, a sci-fi epic, follows the political and spiritual struggles on the desert planet of Arrakis. As factions vie for control of the prized spice melange, a prophesied hero emerges, challenging the balance of power and the fate of the galaxy.
