Prophecy’s New Trailer Shows the Dark Rise of the Bene Gesserit

HBO has released a new trailer for Dune: Prophecy, its upcoming series concerning the secret origins of the Bene Gesserit set approximately 10,000 years before the events of Dune. Take a look:

According to a press release, Dune: Prophecy will follow “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.”

The series stars Emily Watson as Valya Harkonnen, ^{Olivia Williams as Tula Harkonnen, Jodhi May as Empress Natalya, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina as Princess Ynez, Shalom Brune-Franklin as Mikaela, Faoileann Cunningham as Sister Jen, Aoife Hinds as Sister Emeline, Chloe Lea as Lila, Travis Fimmel as Desmond Hart,  Mark Strong as Emperor Javicco Corrino, Jade Anouka as Sister Theodosia and Chris Mason as Keiran Atreides.}

The trailer’s press release additionally states Alison Schapker pulls triple duty as series’ showrunner, head writer, and executive producer, alongside Diane Ademu-John, who also “co-developed the series and serves as executive producer.” Anna Foerster additionally serves as its third executive producer and is said to have “directed multiple episodes” of the series, “including the first.” Jordan Goldberg, Mark Tobey, John Cameron, Matthew King, Scott Z. Burns and Jon Spaihts are also executive producers– not to mention Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert as executive producers for the Frank Herbert estate. That’s an even dozen credited executive producers! But we’re not finished yet– New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson serves as co-producer on the series. It’s always good to know when to step back, I guess.

While a release date has yet-to-be scheduled for the series–  it’ll premiere on HBO and Max sometime this November– are you excited for it? Is a TV show based around a sisterhood of child-marrying, sex-obsessed eugenicists a hard sell, or will it fit right in alongside the channel’s other award-winning programs about incest, cults and  incestuous cults? I kid because I love…

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.