Everything You Need to Know Before Watching 'Dune: Prophecy'

While fans of the Dune-iverse wait for a possible third movie, Max will soon take viewers back to the world of Paul Atreides with a new series called Dune: Prophecy. Set centuries before the events of Dune and Dune: Part Two, Dune: Prophecy will follow the women of the Bene Gesserit as they establish their order and become the empire-manipulating, misinformation-spreading mystics we hate to love.

The new series will star Emily Watson and Mark Strong among others. While it was originally slated to stream on Max, it was later upgraded to be an HBO Original, airing on the TV channel proper as well as on their streaming platform.

Related: Zendaya's Chani Takes Center Stage in the Cleverly Adapted 'Dune: Part Two'

Read on for everything we know about the upcoming series, including its cast, release date, and more.

When is the Dune: Prophecy release date?

Dune: Prophecy is scheduled to premiere in November 2024. An exact release date has not yet been announced.

How to watch Dune: Prophecy

Dune: Prophecy will air on HBO proper and be available to stream on Max.

What is Dune: Prophecy about?

Set 10,000 years before the events of Dune and Dune: Part Two, Dune: Prophecy follows the sisters Valya and Tula Harkonnen as they establish the Bene Gesserit sect, which helps the Great Houses “sift truth from lies.” If you’ve seen Dune, then you’ll recall that the Bene Gesserit were the mysterious women responsible for guiding Paul Atreides toward the leadership of Arrakis. (The Reverend Mother, played by Charlotte Rampling, notably tested him early in the first film using a pain box.)

Who is in the Dune: Prophecy cast?

The Dune: Prophecy cast includes:

Emily Watson as Valya Harkonnen

Emily Watson will play Valya Harkonnen, an early member of the Bene Gesserit and the second Mother Superior of the group. Watson is a prolific film and TV actress known for her roles in Breaking the Waves, Hilary and Jackie, Anna Karenina, Chernobyl and more.

Olivia Williams as Tula Harkonnen

Olivia Williams stars as Tula Harkonnen, who is the younger sister of Valya. Williams has previously appeared in films and TV shows including Rushmore, The Crown, Maps to the Stars and An Education.

Mark Strong as Emperor Javicco Corrino

Mark Strong will appear as Emperor Javicco Corrino, the leader of the galactic empire. (In the Dune movies, Christopher Walken plays a much later emperor, Shaddam Corrino IV.) Strong’s previous roles include 1917, Sherlock Holmes, The Imitation Game, Cruella and Shazam! He is also set to appear in Max’s new series The Penguin, which is set in the same universe as 2022’s The Batman starring Robert Pattinson.

Jodhi May as Empress Natalya

Jodhi May plays Empress Natalya, the wife of Emperor Javicco. Their marriage is responsible for uniting thousands of worlds.

Sarah-Sofie Boussnina as Princess Ynez

Sarah-Sofie Boussnina will appear as Princess Ynez, who is the daughter of Emperor Javicco and Empress Natalya.

Shalom Brune-Franklin as Mikaela

Shalom Brune-Franklin plays Mikaela, described as a “strong-willed” Fremen woman who serves the royal family.

Travis Fimmel as Desmond Hart

Travis Fimmel stars as Desmond Hart, a soldier who attempts to win the trust of Emperor Javicco Corrino.

Chris Mason as Keiran Atreides

Chris Mason plays Keiran Atreides, who serves as a Swordmaster to a Great House.

Josh Heuston as Constantine Corrino

Josh Heuston has a recurring role as Constantine Corrino, who is the illegitimate son of Emperor Javicco Corrino.

Tabu as Sister Francesca

Tabu appears as Sister Francesca, the Emperor’s former love.

Jihae as Reverend Mother Kasha Jinjo

Jihae stars as Reverend Mother Kasha Jinjo, who is Truthsayer to the Emperor. (In the movies, Charlotte Rampling’s character, Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, was Truthsayer to the Emperor.)

Faoileann Cunningham as Sister Jen

Faoileann Cunningham will appear as Sister Jen, one of the acolytes in training at the Sisterhood School.

Aoife Hinds as Sister Emeline

Aofie Hinds will play another acolyte named Sister Emeline, who is described as “zealous” and a descendant of a long line of martyrs.

Chloe Lea as Lila

Chloe Lea will play Lila, the youngest acolyte at the Sisterhood School.

Jade Anouka as Sister Theodosia

Jade Anouka appears as Sister Theodosia, an acolyte with a dark secret in her past.

Edward Davis as Harrow Harkonnen

Edward Davis plays Harrow Harkonnen, a politician who hopes to restore his house to its former glory.

How many episodes of Dune: Prophecy are there?

Dune: Prophecy will consist of six episodes.

How many seasons is Dune: Prophecy?

So far, Dune: Prophecy will consist of a single season of six episodes. Future seasons have not yet been announced.

Is there a trailer for Dune: Prophecy?

Max released the first trailer for Dune: Prophecy on May 15, 2024. You can watch it below.

A second teaser debuted on July 18, 2024.

Is Dune: Prophecy connected to the movies?

In the sense that the Bene Gesserit measure their plans in centuries, yes. The two main characters, Valya and Tula, are both Harkonnens, so they are technically distant relatives of Paul Atreides (a secret Harkonnen) and his mother, Lady Jessica. As members of the Bene Gesserit, they are also likely already working on their plan to engineer a perfect candidate to become the Kwisatz Haderach. In practice, however, no one from Dune or Dune: Part Two is likely to appear in the show, as it takes place thousands of years before the events of those films. But there could still be sandworms! (Shai-Hulud, if you’re Fremen.)

Will Zendaya be in Dune: Prophecy?

Zendaya won’t be in Dune: Prophecy unless Chani appears in some kind of flash-forward or vision of the future seen by the Bene Gesserit, as the show is set 10,000 years before the events of the Dune movies.

Will Timothée Chalamet be in Dune: Prophecy?

Similarly, Timothée Chalamet won’t appear as Paul Atreides unless it’s in a vision of some kind, although it seems more likely that the Bene Gesserit might at least reference him in this series over Chani.

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What books is Dune: Prophecy based on?

Dune: Prophecy is based on Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, which was published in 2012. It is the first book in their Great Schools of Dune trilogy, which also includes Mentats of Dune and Navigators of Dune. All of these books are prequels to the first Dune novel, published in 1965 by Brian’s father, Frank Herbert. (Denis Villeneuve’s two Dune films are based on that book.)

What year is Dune: Prophecy set in?

Dune: Prophecy is set 10,000 years before the events of Dune and Dune: Part Two, both of which are set in the distant future. At this stage in the timeline of the Dune universe, the Bene Gesserit are a relatively new organization, along with the Mentat and Suk Schools. In other words, Paul Atreides isn’t even a twinkle in Duke Leto’s eye, because it will be thousands of years before Leto himself is even born.

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