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After a long wait, HBO Max has announced the details of an upcoming Dune prequel series, Dune: Prophecy. The series was originally announced in 2019 as Dune: The Sisterhood. But after five years of waiting, the streaming platform has renamed the title.
Max has released the official logline, the first teaser trailer, and details of the cast list, and it has been revealed that British actor Jessica Barden will be joining the cast of Dune: Prophecy in a leading role. Inspired by the novel Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, the series will debut with all six episodes this fall.
About Jessica Barden: Who does she play in Dune: Prophecy?
Jessica Barden is a critically acclaimed English actor who began her career as a child actor with her debut in 1999 with a small role in the CITV series My Parents Are Aliens. Following this, she was cast in No Angels and The Chase. When she was 14, Barden joined the ITV soap opera Coronation Street cast as Kayleigh Morton, and she remained in the role from March 2007 to September 2008.
Jessica Barden debuted in feature films in 2007 with the comedy-drama Mrs Ratcliffe's Revolution. In 2010, she appeared in the film Tamara Drewe, for which she was nominated for Young British Performer of the Year by the London Film Critics' Circle. She has also acted in the horror feature Comedown, the mystery-drama In the Dark Half, and the psychological thriller Mindscape, among many others.
Jessica Barden is best known for her role as Alyssa Foley in the Channel 4 comedy-drama The End of the F***ing World (2017–2019) and for her performance in Scarborough (2018), for which she received a British Independent Film Award nomination. Her other works include The Lobster (2015), The New Romantic (2018), Pink Skies Ahead (2020), Lambs of God (2019), Pieces of Her (2022), and You & Me (2023).
Recently, HBO Max announced that Jessica Barden has been cast in the main role as the young Valya Harkonnen, with the elder version of the character being played by Emily Watson in Dune: Prophecy. The character has been described as,
“Ambitious, stubborn and forceful. Young Valya Harkonnen dreams of restoring her family’s noble status. When a tragedy shatters her plans for the future, she finds herself on a new path that leads to the Sisterhood.”
Other actors join Barden in various roles in the series.
Others cast in the upcoming series
Max has also announced that celebrated Indian actor Tabu will be joining in the role of Sister Francesca along with Barden.
Tabu is a recipient of the National Film Award for Best Actress for her Maachis and Chandni Bar performances. She has also received seven Filmfare Awards for her roles in Cheeni Kum, Haider, and Andhadhun, among others. Tabu has also appeared in international productions like Life of Pi, The Namesake, and the BBC miniseries A Suitable Boy.
Her character in Dune: Prophecy is described as:
“Strong, intelligent, and alluring, Sister Francesca leaves a lasting impression in her wake. Once a great love of the Emperor, her return to the palace strains the balance of power in the capital.”
The series also stars Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Johdi May, Mark Strong, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Josh Heuston, Chloe Lea, Jade Anouka, Faoileann Cunningham, Edward Davis, Aoife Hinds, Chris Mason, and Shalom Brune-Franklin.
What is the series all about?
The official logline for Dune: Prophecy 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.”
A teaser trailer has also been released for the upcoming series, and it was first shown during the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront presentation in New York City. The video teases the beginnings of the Bene Gesserit as they start rising and wielding their incredible influence across the Imperium.
With Alison Schapker as showrunner and executive producer, the series has been co-developed by Diane Ademu-John, who also serves as executive producer. It is co-produced by Max and Legendary Television and coming soon this fall.
