Director Denis Villeneuve and HBO are still moving forward with plans for a Dune television series that serves as a prequel to the 2021 Dune film.
According to reports, the prequel will center on the Bene Gesserit, a women-only political and spiritual faction in the Dune-world who undergo rigorous physical and mental training to develop superhuman strength and mental abilities.
Specifically, the series is set 10,000 years before the events of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, and follows sisters Valya and Tula Harkonnen as they begin a movement to oppose overwhelming forces that threaten humankind's future, ultimately leading to the formation of the renowned Bene Gesserit sect.
First announced on June 10, 2019, as Dune: The Sisterhood, IGN is now reporting that the show has been retitled, Dune: Prophecy.
Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts were originally slated to direct and write the show's first two episodes but had to depart the television tie-in, to work on the film's sequel. After several creative changes, Alison Schapker (Fringe, Altered Carbon) is serving as the sole showrunner on the show.
The casting and creative changes were reportedly a major concern for HBO and Max, especially Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav who infamously made a series of controversial cost-cutting moves following WB's merger with Discovery.
The production delays resulting from creative and casting changes have likely ballooned the production's budget well past its initial projections.
The cast for the show includes Emily Watson (Chernobyl, Equilibrium) as Valya Harkonnen, Jodhi May (The Witcher) as Empress Natalya, Olivia Williams (The Crown, Counterpart) as Tula Harkonnen, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina (The Bridge, 1864) as Princess Ynez, Aoife Hinds (Nightflyers, Normal People) as Sister Emeline, and Shalom Brune-Franklin (Great Expectations) as Mikaela.
The show also stars Chris Mason, Mark Strong (Shazam!, Kingsman: The Golden Circle), Jade Anouka (His Dark Materials), and Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Raised by Wolves).
The HBO prequel is a UK-based union Equity and is not affected by the ongoing Hollywood SAG-AFTRA strike against the AMPTP.
Dune: Prophecy is set to be released in Fall 2024. Dune: Part Two is currently slated to hit theaters on March 15, 2024.
Villeneuve has previously stated that he also wants to tackle Dune Messiah, the second novel in Herbert's 6-part Dune series but he's stated that a third entry depends on the box office performance of Part Two.
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