Created by Diane Ademu-John and led by showrunner Alison Schapker, the drama series Dune: Prophecy brings together Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, and Travis Fimmel in a science fiction epic that has been airing on HBO Max since November 2024. After a first season that received four Emmy Award nominations, production on season 2 has just begun in Europe and the Middle East, under the HBO Original and Legendary Television banner.
Set 10,000 years before the advent of Paul Atreides, the plot explores the formation of the Bene Gesserit through two Harkonnen sisters confronted with decisive political and spiritual forces. This timeline, which precedes the main story, allows us to observe the beginnings of this influential order at the heart of the universe imagined by Frank Herbert.
The first season followed a journey of initiation centered on imperial tensions and the construction of an emerging power. Events led the protagonists to the enigmatic Arrakis, a strategic point in many conflicts. Season 2 will continue this story by developing new issues related to the rise of the future Bene Gesserit organization.
Filming for season 2 has begun in Hungary, Jordan, and Spain, according to HBO and Warner Bros. (source: Warner Bros. 2025 press release). Alison Schapker is directing this new batch of episodes. Legendary Television remains co-producer, as it is for the film franchise. The novel Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson forms the main plot of the adaptation.
Several actors are joining the cast: Indira Varma, Ashley Walters, and Tom Hollander. Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Jodhi May, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Chris Mason, and Shalom Brune-Franklin are reprising their roles. The season will consist of eight episodes, as confirmed by HBO.
This production highlights themes of power and belief, with an expanding universe based on geopolitical rivalries and individual trajectories shaped by discipline and mysticism. The target audience includes fans of fictional political science, viewers of the Dune cycle, and those curious about origin stories linked to an established mythology.
Dune: Prophecy
Series | 2024
Season 1 available on HBO Max since November 18, 2024
Science fiction | 7 episodes of 52 min
Created by Diane Ademu-John | Starring Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel
Original title: Dune: Prophecy
Nationality: U.S.A.
Season 2 will delve deeper into the foundations of the Bene Gesserit in an expanded political and spiritual setting, continuing to develop the universe imagined by Frank Herbert.
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