Dune: Prophecy showrunner Alison Schapker says she hopes the prequel series is a “real ride” for Dune fans.
“It’s an amazing time to be a Dune fan. I want to continue that momentum, to have you go enjoy the films where they are. We’re in our own medium, and that’s a different kind of storytelling,” Schapker tells GamesRadar+ in an exclusive interview at New York Comic Con. “But I want it to be just as fun when you turn on your TV and feel like it gave you a lot to think about, but also a real ride and characters to care about. So I hope we can earn our little corner of the universe.”
After a massive war among the universe’s family Houses over the rise of destructive “thinking machines,” the Harkonnen House is on the losing end of the fight. After they’re banished along with that tech, young Valya (Jessica Barden) becomes consumed with restoring her family’s place in the universe. Present-day Valya (Emily Watson) is the Mother Superior of the Sisterhood that will eventually become known as the Bene Gesserit – and she has not yet finished her fight.
The series takes place 10,000 before the birth of Paul Atreides, and is loosely based on the novels Great Schools of Dune and Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert, son of Dune author Frank Herbert.
Continues Schapker: “I think even Denis Villeneuve would say how important and how charismatic and how intriguing the Bene Gesserit are. I think in his films, they’re all mystery. And when it came time to branch out, telling an origin story of the Bene Gesserit, it just felt so exciting. Because who doesn’t want to know a little bit more about these women?”
Dune: Prophecy is set to hit Max on November 17. For more, check out our lists of the best Max shows and the best Max movies to stream right now.