Dune: Prophecy earns record low audience score in franchise history

In November 2024, the Sky Atlantic series Dune: Prophecy premiered, but it quickly received poor audience ratings. The show is a prequel focused on the origins of the Bene Gesserit, a powerful female clan in the Dune universe, based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert. Although the series features noteworthy actors like Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, and Mark Strong, it has not resonated with viewers. As of now, the show holds the lowest audience score at 63 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, marking a significant decline compared to previous adaptations. Critics have pointed out a lack of excitement in the narrative and a failure to live up to the high expectations set by Denis Villeneuve’s recent Dune movies. Reviews describe the show as dull and unremarkable, with some implying that it does not offer much value unless one is deeply invested in the larger Dune narrative. Following the lukewarm reception, filmmaker Quentin Tarantino added his voice to the criticisms faced by recent Dune adaptations, expressing his disinterest in revisiting the story. This combination of critical and audience feedback raises concerns about the future of the Dune franchise in television adaptations, especially given the high bar set by its cinematic counterparts. The historical context of Dune adaptations reveals that even previous iterations, such as David Lynch’s film from 1984, have achieved better audience reception, leading to questions about the direction of this latest series.