A cult of superpowered women using genetic coding to take over the universe. A war between humanity and technology. Gigantic god-like sandworms. Dune: Prophecy doesn’t exactly scream cosy Monday evening viewing, but such is the nature of Dune, a sci-fi franchise that is notoriously impenetrable and difficult to adapt both on the big screen and on television.
Prophecy, airing on Sky Atlantic and NOW, is a prequel series based on the 2012 novel Sisterhood of Dune by Kevin J Anderson and Brian Herbert, the son of Dune creator Frank Herbert. Like the behemoth Denis Villeneuve movies led by Timothée Chalamet, the new series brings together a starry cast, including Emily Watson, Olivia Williams and Mark Strong, and a production value that rivals the films. It tells the origin story of the Bene Gessirit, a collective of women who, through biological tampering, attempt to manipulate and control power in the universe throughout millennia.
