Dune: Prophecy star Emily Watson opens up about Season 2 filming - Reports 

The debut season of Dune: Prophecy recently ended on a high note, albeit with a polarizing effect on the audience. As we look forward to the second season of Dune: Prophecy on Max, actress Emily Watson, who delivered a powerful performance as Harkonnen in the prequel series, recently spilled a few intriguing details about the show's second installment.

Dune: Prophecy star Emily Watson spoke with Screenrant's Tatiana Hullender at the ongoing Sundance Film Festival. When asked about updates from the upcoming second season, Watson commented:

"I think we are going to start in the fall, and I don’t know anything (about Valya’s story). I know nothing, so I’m just as excited as you are."

Dune: Prophecy is based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune and takes place ten thousand years before the events of the Dune films directed by Dennis Villeneuve.

The debut season of the Max show chronicled the rise of the Bene Gesserit as they attempted to fill in the power vacuum, leading to Imperium's domination over Arrakis. Another narrative arc that received much praise was the complex relationship shared between Watson's Valya and her sister Tula, played by Olivia Williams.

Here's everything that we know.

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What to expect from Dune: Prophecy season 2?

The second season of Dune: Prophecy can be speculated to be back with solutions to some of the most pressing questions generated by the debut season's finale. The second season will most likely continue Valya's mission to find the secret adversary behind Desmond Hart's Thinking Machine virus, while also safeguarding Ynez's crown.

The stakes are going to rise as Dorotea solidifies her influence within the Sisterhood and Desmond Hart, an even bigger wildcard, gets closer to Empress Natalya. Meanwhile, the simmering conflict between Valya and Dorotea could threaten to destabilize the Sisterhood while Tula remains imprisoned. All in all, it is fair to say that the audience is in for another entertaining journey through the Duniverse.

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Emily Watson opens up about her preparation for Valya Harkonnen

In a November 2024 interview with Variety magazine, Emily Watson revealed that she spent a lot of time at the National Portrait Gallery in London, gazing at portraits of Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I, in preparation for her character of Valya Harkonnen. She explained:

"It’s amazing to gaze at these portraits of these quietly powerful, terrifying women. They don’t give too much away — they’re sort of ciphers, which gives them this sense of control. And you think about how they were surrounded by intrigue while living in this incredibly brutal, paranoid police state. Everybody in their life either wanted to kill them or or marry them.”

She further stated:

"It’s quite a departure for me to play somebody this badass, Valya is really strong, driven, kind of manipulative, and very smart and clever. She is always one step ahead. But she’s good at letting other people think that they are the ones pulling the strings when she’s controlling the narrative. It’s kind of a dark art that she practices.”

Regarding the universe of Dune, Watson revealed:

"It’s a universe that I wasn’t particularly aware of, but what a rich territory for acting. There’s a lot to sink your teeth into. Nobody comes out of it smelling like roses. It’s a very complex, amoral place, where everybody has their own agenda.”

Dune: Prophecy season one is exclusively available on Max.