The Second “Dune: Prophecy” Trailer Teases the Founding of a Secretive, Immensely Powerful Sisterhood

“You wish to serve the great houses and shape the flow of power; you first must exert power over yourself.”

This is how the second teaser for HBO’s Dune: Prophecy begins, with Emily Watson’s Valya Harkonnen explaining the power dynamics of a time 10,000 years before the events depicted in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films before the Great Houses were influenced by the Bene Gesserit, a powerful, secretive sisterhood that factored so hugely in Frank Herbert’s original novel and Villeneuve’s films. Prophecy will track how the Bene Gesserit came to be and eventually went on to become the whispering power that shaped so much of the intergalactic world order.

Dune: Prophecy is centered on two Harkonnen sisters, Valya and Tula (Olivia Williams), who go on to found the Bene Gesserit, two later members of which were played so vividly by Rebecca Ferguson and Charlotte Rampling in Villeneuve’s films. Prophecy is based on the work of Frank Herbert’s son, Brian Herbert, and his co-author, Kevin J. Anderson, in their book “Sisterhood of Dune.” Prophecy will give the many fans of Villeneuve’s films a look at how the imploding intergalactic community setting itself up for a massive war during the time of Paul Atreides (played in the films, of course, by Timothée Chalamet) was shaped eons ago by the likes of women like Valya and Tula. 

Watson and Williams are joined by Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May, Mark Strong, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Josh Heuston, Chloe Lea, Jade Anouka, Faoileann Cunningham, Edward Davis, Aoife Hinds, Chris Mason, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Jihae, Tabu, Charithra Chandran, Jessica Barden, Emma Canning, and Yerin Ha.

The series hails from showrunner and executive producer Alison Schapker. Anna Foerster directed multiple episodes, including the all-important pilot, and serves as executive producer. Jordan Goldberg, Mark Tobey, John Cameron, Matthew King, Scott Z. Burns, and Dune and Dune: Part Two screenwriter Jon Spaihts executive produce alongside Brian Herbert. Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert are executive producers for the Frank Herbert estate. 

Check out the teaser below. Dune: Prophecy arrives on HBO in November—a specific date will be announced later.

For more on the world of Dune, check out these stories:

The First Teaser for “Dune: Prophecy” Unveils the Powers That Shaped the Dune Universe

Desert Power: The Lasting Success of “Dune: Part Two” & Future Adaptations

“Dune: Part Two” Cinematographer Greig Fraser on Finding Clarity in Chaos

Featured image: Emily Watson as Valya Harkonnen. Courtesy of HBO.