Dune 3 May Encounter Challenges Stemming from Max’s Prequel Series, Explained

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies will be expanding with the series Dune: Prophecy on Max later this year. Here’s why we’re nervous about it.

Timothee Chalamet and Josh Brolin from Dune, with a Sandworm in the background

Denis Villeneuve’s two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s legendary novel Dune has developed a reputation as some of the best sci-fi cinema of the 21st century. Beginning with 2021’s Dune and then continuing with this year’s Dune: Part Two, Villeneuve’s films have established themselves as some of the definitive cinematic works of this decade so far.

In a landscape dominated by never-ending franchises like Star Wars and the MCU, Villeneuve crafted two groundbreaking and thought-provoking blockbusters that harken back to Hollywood’s heyday in the late 20th century.

With his two films, Villeneuve has now covered the entirety of Herbert’s first Dune novel, and the director has been open about his intent to adapt the second book, Dune Messiah, into a third film to complete his trilogy. With the incredible success of Dune: Part Two, a third Dune movie would seem like an easy win in terms of audience interest, but there’s one outside factor that could affect Villeneuve’s film series. That potential hiccup comes in the form of Dune: Prophecy, a prequel series that is set to debut on Max later this year. Here’s what we know:

The Dune: Prophecy Prequel Series

Reverend Mother Gaius and Paul Atreides in Dune

When we say that Dune: Prophecy is a prequel to Villeneuve’s films, we don’t mean in the same way that the Star Wars prequels preceded George Lucas’ original trilogy. It’s not a story about a young Duke Leto or Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV or anything like that. There will be no returning characters in the prequel series, as it is set millennia beforehand. Its story will focus on new characters that lived about 10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides, his takeover of Arrakis and the holy war that followed.

Dune: Prophecy is a story about the founding of the Bene Gesserit, the mysterious organization that secretly orchestrates the political dealings of the Imperium and attempts to produce the legendary Kwisatz Haderach through carefully crossing bloodlines. The Bene Gesserit has played a substantial role in Villeneuve’s films, as Paul’s mother, Jessica, is a Bene Gesserit who serves at the behest of the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohaim. The Reverend Mother appears throughout both Dune films, most notably in the opening act of the first film, where she tests Paul with the Gom Jabbar.

Looking beyond the plot, one of the most important things to know about Dune: Prophecy (formerly titled Dune: The Sisterhood) is that it comes mostly from a different creative team. While Denis Villeneuve going to direct a couple of episodes and his co-writer Jon Spaihts was originally hired as the showrunner, neither of those are the case anymore.

The show has gone through many changes and creative reshuffling behind-the-scenes, and it ultimately settled on Alison Schapker (Altered CarbonFringeAlias and more) as the writer and showrunner. Villeneuve remains on-board as an executive producer, though he is no longer going to direct any of the series, as he had to step away to focus on Dune: Part Two.

Related Posts

Keanu Reeves Surprises Alexandra Grant with a Stunning $254K Supercar – A Gesture of Love That Will Leave You Speechless!

Keanu Reeves, the beloved and humble actor known for his roles in iconic films such as The Matrix and John Wick, has always captivated the hearts of…

DAVID MUIR REACHES PEAK STYLE WHILE REPORTING ON WILDFIRES?!

Wildfire Broadcast: When News Meets Fashion It all began at a wildfire scene in California, where David Muir appeared to deliver live coverage of one of the…

David Muir heads to Texas to report on floods, but the world is only fixated on… his superhero biceps!

When ABC News anchor David Muir arrived in Central Texas to report on the catastrophic floods that claimed over 120 lives and left communities reeling, viewers expected…

David Muir’s Emotional TV Moment Sparks Speculation: Did He Reveal a Personal Truth?

On a recent broadcast of ABC’s World News Tonight, anchor David Muir, a trusted face in American journalism, delivered a moment that left viewers and the studio…

Karoline Leavitt Shocks The View with On-Air Clash, Allegedly Ousts Whoopi Goldberg Amid Explosive Trump Affair Accusations.

In a jaw-dropping moment that has sent shockwaves through daytime television, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt allegedly orchestrated the dramatic ousting of Whoopi Goldberg from The…

Karoline Leavitt’s Savage Takedown of Gold-Digger Trolls: “Double the Money, Zero Shame!”

In the swirling vortex of political drama and social media snark, few figures have faced as much public scrutiny as Karoline Leavitt, the youngest White House Press…