Dune: Prophecyshowrunner Alison Schapker explains how the upcoming series explores the Harkonnen family’s past. Taking place ten thousand years before the story of Paul Atreides, the HBO series chronicles the origins of the mysterious sisterhood known as the Bene Gesserit. Thestory ofDune: Prophecyfocuses on two founding members, in particular, with Valya Harkonnenon (Emily Watson) and her sister, Tula (Olivia Williams) set to take center stage.
In a recent interview withEW, Schapker explains how the Harkonnen family inDune: Prophecywill be very different from how they are portrayed in Denis Villeneuve’sDunemovies. The show’s place in the larger franchise timeline means thatthe Harkonnens haven’t yet seized control of Arrakis' spice, and in fact, the story picks up with the family in a position of weakness, with others in the galaxy branding them cowards and traitors after a devastating galactic war. Read Schapker’s comment about the Harkonnens and check out new images fromDune: Prophecybelow:
“We get to see how it all started. When we meet Valya Harkonnen, she is a girl whose family has experienced a tremendous fall from power and has lost its noble status. She dreams of restoring what she feels is rightfully theirs. How she goes from being someone obsessed with rebuilding her noble house to being someone who is dedicated to the Sisterhood above all is a big part of the story. It’s not a girlhood coming-of-age narrative so much as a woman’s rise to power from a Harkonnen perspective.”
What Dune: Prophecy’s Harkonnen Story Means For The Franchise
How The Show Is Different From Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Movies
InVilleneuve’s acclaimedDune: Part Two(2024), as in its predecessor, the Harkonnens are portrayed as fairly uncomplicated villains. Characters like Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), and Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautistia) of House Harkonnen aren’t morally ambiguous characters. Each one serves a very clear function in the story as a villain and obstacle to Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet).
Villeneuve is expected to return to Arrakis withDune: Part Three, which is currently in development.
The Atreides/Harkonnen Family Tree Explained
As proven by Dune: Part Two’s twists and turns, the Atreides and Harkonnen family tree is complicated, but understanding the bloodlines is crucial.
Dune: Prophecytaking place far in the past meansthe series has an opportunity to complicate this dynamic, adding layers and nuance to a house that has thus far been defined by its villainous actions. By depicting the Harkonnens in a place of weakness and on the back foot, the show could end up enhancing how select characters come across in Villeneuve’s movies. The show, for example, despite taking place ten thousand years earlier, could inform some of Baron Harkonnens actions and his general lust for power.
Our Take On Dune: Prophecy’s Harkonnen Changes
Why The HBO Series Could Be A Refreshing Change Of Pace
Not limited to telling a story within the constraints of a blockbuster movie runtime,Dune: Prophecycould end up being an interesting expansion of the franchise. The show has an opportunity to add a great deal of depth to the largerDunetimelineand universe while also telling its own thrilling story.
It will be a challenge to match the scale and epic feel of Villeneuve’s two films, butthe story of Valya and Tula Harkonnen has the potential to be exciting in its own way. From Schapker’s comments, it sounds likeDune: Prophecywill be digging deep into its characters in a medium that the franchise hasn’t yet explored, making it a welcome experiment.
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.
