Dune:
Prophecy
feels
like
a
moneygrab
opportunity
meant
to
capitalise
on
what’s
already
popular,
observes
Mayur
Sanap.
When
Dune
released
in
2021,
I
remember
how
Director
Denis
Villeneuve
talked
about
the
sheer
complexity
of
the
story,
thanks
to
the
wide-ranging
characters,
themes
and
sub-plots
it
tackles
with.
Based
on
Frank
Herbert’s
book,
which
originally
published
in
1965,
it
has
been
adapted
for
screen
in
the
past
as
well
but
the
story
was
largely
considered
‘unfilmable’
due
to
the
sheer
volume
of
its
source
text.
Villeneuve’s
Dune
is
now
a
blockbuster
franchise
and
it’s
probably
the
box
office
success
of
last
two
films
that
warranted
a
prequel
series
Dune:
Prophecy.
But
this
streaming
show
is
a
sad
display
of
what
the
Dune
universe
would
feel
like
without
Villeneuve’s
involvement.
What
could
have
been
a
fascinating
expansion
of
the
already
established
world
ends
up
feeling
like
a
moneygrab
opportunity
meant
to
capitalise
on
what’s
already
popular.
Sadly,
that
also
summarises
the
current
landscape
of
entertainment
industry,
isn’t
it?
The
show
is
divided
into
six
episodes
that
focuses
on
the
backstory
of
the
Bene
Gesserit,
a
cult
of
powerful
women
that
Rebecca
Ferguson,
Charlotte
Rampling
and
Léa
Seydoux
played
in
Villeneuve’s
film
adaptations.
The
story
takes
place
many,
many
years
before
the
birth
of
Paul
Atreides,
the
protagonist
of
the
Dune
series
played
by
Timothée
Chalamet.
Mother
Superior
Raquella
Berto-Anirul
(Cathy
Tyson)
is
on
her
death
bed
when
she
calls
for
Valya
Harkonnen
(Jessica
Barden)
and
she
warns
her
about
the
Red
Sand,
an
impending
sandstorm
that
threatens
the
future
of
the
humanity.
Raquella
entrusts
Valya
to
lead
the
Imperium,
much
to
the
dismay
of
other
members
of
the
group.
Thirty
years
later,
Valya
(played
by
Emily
Watson)
is
the
Mother
Supreme,
who
is
leading
the
group
with
her
sister
and
second-in-command,
Tula
(Olivia
Williams).
Both
sisters
train
younger
women
to
join
their
ranks,
one
of
which
is
Emperor
Javicco
Corrino’s
(Mark
Strong)
daughter,
Princess
Ynez
(Sarah-Sofie
Boussnina).
We
learn
that
Raquella’s
prophecy
is
connected
to
Princess
Ynez,
which
ultimately
ignites
a
series
of
grim
events.
The
first
episode,
titled
The
Hidden
Hand,
is
pretty
much
a
set-up
for
this
world
and
characters
it
inhabits.
The
show
also
relies
heavily
on
your
prior
knowledge
about
the
Dune
universe
with
regards
to
some
key
character
arcs
and
plot
points.
Showrunners
and
developers
Diane
Ademu-John
and
Alison
Schapker
put
in
sincere
efforts
to
nail
the
look
and
feel
of
Dune,
but
the
ease
that
Villeneuve’s
showed
in
his
story-telling
is
sorely
missing.
The
drama
rushes
through
every
scene
without
any
breathing
space
and
none
of
the
characters
are
interesting
enough
to
make
us
root
for
them.
Even
the
basic
dialogues
are
peppered
with
tedious
exposition
that
offers
nothing
substantial
to
the
viewers.
By
the
end
of
it,
I
wondered
if
I
was
more
disheartened
that
the
show
is
just
piggybacking
on
Villeneuve’s
world
that
he
painstakingly
built
or
the
fact
that
Tabu
didn’t
show
up
in
the
premiere
episode.
But
yes,
this
review
is
based
only
on
the
first
episode.
So,
there’s
still
hope.
Only
that
the
expectations
are
now
in
check.
Dune:
Prophecy
streams
on
JioCinema.
Dune:
Prophecy
Review
Rediff
Rating:
