It’s no secret that IP is the straw that stirs the drink in today’s world of television, streaming and cinema. Media companies are raking in receipts and ratings by not only using IP as the bell cow, but by finding ways to spin stories out of the collective “universes” from their IP-based series and films.
HBO has found tremendous success in 2024 with creating series that are not only ratings sensations, but series that have staying power. House of the Dragon and The Penguin have been tremendous hits that have not just been hot out the gate, but drawn crowds as their seasons progress. To a lesser extent, the latest installment of True Detective and the sequel series to Sex & the City have been stalwart shows for both the channel and its streaming counterpart.
So, it makes all the sense in the world that HBO would dive head first into the world of Dune. The two films directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya were gargantuan box office sensations and bona fide critical darlings (with the first film snagging a slew of Oscars). So, yes, HBO dipping their toe back in the sand of Frank Herbert’s iconic science fiction world is a no-brainer.
The only reason issue with this return to the spice-centric series is that HBO produced Dune: Prophecy — a series set 10,000 years before the events surrounding Paul Atreidies.
Dune: Prophecy is a duller than dirt, Game of Thrones in space drama that lacks the visual wow-factor, crackling dialogue and beguiling mystery and mysticism of its box office predecessors. Remove references to Arrakis, the Harkonnens and spice and this series is an easily forgettable series that would launch in the turgid mid-winter segment of the TV calendar on a network like SyFy or Starz.
One of the main issues with the series is … who really asked for a show about the formation of the Bene Gesserit sect?
This group was an interesting, but no the most interesting part of Villeneuve’s Dune films. The Penguin worked because Colin Farrell gave such a show-stealing performance in The Batman, that we wanted to know more about him and the underworld he exists in. House of the Dragon appealed to Game of Thrones fans because they were constantly reminded of the characters in HoTD during GoT‘s entire run. In Dune, the Bene Gesserit play a big part in Paul’s ascension, but were fans really chomping at the bit to find out more about the demon-voiced witches?
A major issue the series has from the get-go is that it never feels like it’s 10,000 years prior to the events of the films. A lot of this lies within the production. The costumes worn by Mark Strong’s character looks like it was taken off the rack that had Oscar Isaac’s wardrobe from the first film. Travis Fimmel’s Desmond Hart is dressed almost exactly as Josh Brolin and Jason Momoa’s characters wore on Arrakis. The weaponry and fighting styles are literal replicas from the films. Even the sets themselves look like the cast and crew of Prophecy stumbled onto the film set (hell, they may very well have!). It never feels different or unique, it just feels like very junior varsity.
This sameness in the production bleeds right into the script. Everything feels like a watered down extension of the films rather than a table-setting premise. The obsession with spice, the contentiousness of Arrakis, the witches trying to manufacture legacies and monarchies — all feel like cheap carbon copies of the films, and never had a “oh here’s how this all began” vibe. House of the Dragon feels like you’re watching the pages of Westerosi history come to life whereas Dune: Prophecy feels like a lifeless Cliffs Notes. There’s nothing compelling in the first episodes, outside of a shock ending for the premiere, but even that is not enough to leave an audience thirsting for more.
This is truly a shame because Dune: Prophecy has a loaded cast including Fimmel, Oscar nominee Emily Watson (Breaking the Waves), Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense), Mark Strong (Kingsman), and a slew of young talent who’ll be much bigger names in the next five years (in no thanks to this series). This talented cast is given mostly forgettable dialogue that they do their damnedest to elevate. Williams and Watson get a scene or two where they’re able to sink their teeth into some sisterly strife; however, the subject matter is so dry, not even their talent level can make it stick. Likewise, Fimmel attempts to make a meal out of the little he’s given. If there is a reason to tune into this, he’s one of them, but sadly, it’s not that strong of a reason to tune in.
Ultimately, Dune: Prophecy is an IP-based series that looked like a decent concept on paper that with the proper time and care could have ascended to the levels of House of the Dragon and Penguin. Sadly, its execution has doomed it to be lost in the sands of time.
