Emily Watson and Mark Strong star in the new prequel series set 10,000 years before the events of Dune
Dune fans can soon return to Arrakis as prequel series Dune: Prophecy sets its UK release date. The new sci-fi series will take place 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides and explore the origins of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood.
The six-parter takes inspiration from the novel Sisterhood of Dune, written by Dune author Frank Herbert’s son Brian Herbert and New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson. It boasts a stellar ensemble cast fronted by Oscar-nominee Emily Watson as Valya Harkonnen, alongside Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May and Mark Strong.
Dune: Prophecy will premiere Monday, November 18, on Sky Atlantic, which is included with Sky’s new streaming deal. For a limited time, Dune fans can get Sky’s ‘lowest ever price’ deal that includes Sky Stream, Sky TV, Netflix and Full Fibre 300 broadband for £40 a month.
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Usually priced at £52, the plan comes with a Sky Stream box, which lets members stream live and on-demand content to the TV using Wi-Fi instead of a satellite dish or aerial. The deal allows viewers to save £288 while enjoying top titles like The Penguin, everything Netflix has to offer including the upcoming second season of Squid Game and superfast fibre broadband with speeds up to 300Mbps.
Sky has reduced the Sky Stream, Sky TV, Netflix and Full Fibre 300 bundle to its ‘lowest ever price’.
Until October 23, shoppers can get hundreds of TV channels, a free Netflix subscription and superfast broadband with speeds up to 300Mbps for £40 a month.
Dune: Prophecy follows Denis Villeneuve’s two-part feature epic, which has racked up more than $1billion at the global box office. Dune: Part Two broke records when it premiered earlier this year, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of the year – though it has now dropped to fourth – and the most financially successful of Villeneuve’s career.
The series was first announced back in 2019, two years before the release of Dune with Villeneuve attached to direct the pilot. The series has since gone through several changes behind the scenes, with Lost and Westworld producer Alison Schapker eventually taking the helm as showrunner and executive producer.
In a 2019 interview with Variety before leaving the project, Villeneuve said: “The Bene Gesserit have always been fascinating to me. Focusing a series around that powerful order of women seemed not only relevant and inspiring but a dynamic setting for the television series.”
The show’s official synopsis reads: “From the expansive universe of Dune, created by acclaimed author Frank Herbert, and 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, Dune: Prophecy follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.”
Sky unveiled a new full-length trailer for the series on Thursday (October 17) which takes fans back to an Arrakis rife with political scheming, swashbuckling action and giant sandworms.
“The sisterhood draws women from many worlds, to advance our species and govern the future,” Valya says in the new clip. “The Imperium is fragile, the great houses fight for control. Now is the time to secure the throne.”
Elsewhere, Disney+ has released every episode of raunchy new drama Rivals, which sees David Tennant and Poldark’s Aidan Turner enter the ruthless world of independent television in 1986. Telly fans can join Disney+ from £4.99 a month, or save up to £25.98 with an annual plan, which now start at £89.90 and offer 12 months for the price of 10 compared to paying monthly.
