With the release of HBO’s new series Dune: Prophecy, many fans of Denis Villaneuve’s iteration of the sci-fi classic might be scratching their heads to see if a certain character played by Timothée Chalamet will appear. Much of the political turmoil in Dune’s universe can be attributed to the actions of Paul Atreides. But Dune: Prophecy sets the origins of one of the most powerful influences: the Bene Gesseri.
Dune explores Paul Atreides’ rise to power. The first movie and book by Frank Herbert explores what happens after his family accepts the stewardship of a planet called Arrakis. Though Arrakis is inhospitable and a desert wasteland, it is the universe’s sole source of melange a.k.a. “the spice”—a drug that extends one’s life and enhances their mental abilities. Given that melange is only produced on Arrakis, control of the planet is dangerous but coveted. Throughout the movie and Dune: Part 2, we see Paul’s hunger for power and the inevitable takeover of space as a tyrant as we know it.
Related Stories
Related: Here’s the Dune Character That Captures Each Zodiac Sign’s Desire for Power
Is Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Prophecy?
Timothée Chalamet will not make an appearance in Dune: Prophecy. Since the series takes place over 10,000 years before Paul Atreides’ rise to power, it’s unlikely that he’ll appear (unless there’s somehow flash-forward glimpses…or some might say: a prophecy).
“We like to call it 10,000 years B.C. — before (Timothée) Chalamet,” jokes Emily Watson to NPR. The series focuses on Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) and her sister Tula (Olivia Williams), as they fight for the future of mankind and establish the Bene Gesserit, which will have a major influence on the events of Dune and Dune: Part Two. The HBO series takes inspiration from the Great Schools of Dune novel trilogy (2012–2016) by Frank Herbert’s son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson— though it takes place after the events of the books.
Though Chalamet might be absent from this part of the franchise, his influence isn’t gone. Dune: Prophecy star Chloe Lea was inspired by him for her audition. “I watched the film, and then my approach was, ‘I really like this part. I really want to get it.’ And then I was like ‘Okay, I’m going to try and just do something Timothée Chalamet-ish,” she told Comic Book Resource. She also applauded the fact that it’s a women-driven story. “I think a difference in this is that the main protagonists in this are women,” she said. “There’s lots of other people, but you know, in the sense that it is centered around this sisterhood, I think that makes it unique and interesting.”