Dune: Prophecy has landed on the 2024 TV schedule and will continue to weave its tale of History versus Prophecy into the early frames of 2025. Following Denis Villeneuve’s impressive two-part adaptation of author Frank Herbert’s first installment, showrunner Alison Schapker has the wider picture that is the world of Dune firmly in mind. She spoke to how the show was influenced by both Timothée Chalamet-led motion pictures and mentioned some very specific factors that her team faced with both excitement and nerves.
The Specific Influences Dune: Prophecy Draws From Its Cinematic Predecessor
Considering it’s connected to the legendary saga of the Bene Gesserit, House Atreides and House Harkonnen, Dune: Prophecy is a pretty huge step to take at the moment. The prequel is far removed from the portion of the timeline fans are familiar with and, as Ms. Schapker, spoke with ComicBook.com, she explained that the Blade Runner 2049 helmer’s vision helped shape the new HBO series:
Denis obviously just created a world of such incredible spectacle and elegance, and his aesthetic choices were just mesmerizingly beautiful. His characters – I think he managed to connect you very much to Paul Atreides’ journey. In our show, as we are 10,000 years before, we too tried to achieve levels of spectacle and beauty.
– Alison Schapker, ComicBook.com
With Prophecy’s invention of the intriguing Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmell), viewers have seen a great example of how this far-flung prequel, based on books written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, works in the existing framework. The visual continuity is nailed in from the ground up, while the narrative at hand is allowed to breath a bit more via six episodes of material.
That difference alone may have been what led to Dune: Prophecy’s critical reactions citing the difference in scope as either a positive or negative. But it definitely contributed to Alison Schapker’s feelings involving how the HBO original series is supposed to mesh up with Denis Villeneuve’s overall vision on both fronts.
How Following Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Affected Alison Schapker’s Dune: Prophecy
While there was a great deal of confidence on the part of both Schapker and her co-EP/fellow Westworld vet Jordan Goldberg, Prophecy still has the typical baggage one would expect with a prequel of this scope. Continuing to lay out how the Dune movies cast a formidable — but vital — shadow over this series, Schapker had this to add:
It was daunting and thrilling in equal capacities, because the reason you’re intimidated is the same reason it’s exciting, which is there’s a possibility to do something special – and somebody’s done it! You know, Denis Villeneuve’s films went out and, I think, really unlocked Dune for whole swaths of people around the world. I think we knew that Dune is meaningful, it’s super influential, it’s a classic, and at the same time those are all the things that make it great. So, the idea that you could play in that sandbox or be a part of that world was such a privilege and so we were excited as well. I would say equal doses fear and excitement.
– Alison Schapker, ComicBook.com
“Equal doses” of those reasonably present influences seem like a blessing in light of how big of a deal Dune and Dune: Part Two were when they hit theaters. With the powerful aesthetic and narrative choices that Denis Villeneuve and his team made firmly planted in the minds of the audience, Prophecy lives under the expectation of the six episode arc living up to the hype generated by its cinematic counterpart.
However, one must also consider that there’s also the advantage of being able to do so over an extended period of time. While we may not be seeing all out battles on Arrakis just yet, there’s still time to work up to the conflicts that will lay the path for Lisan al-Gaib’s terrifying reign.
Those of you with a Max subscription can judge for yourselves, as new episodes of Dune: Prophecy will be available at the same time they air on HBO. Sunday night at 9 PM ET is when the next chapters will continue to unfurl, so make sure you’re set to dive headlong into the distant future with enough time to prepare for the next workweek.