First picture of Emily Watson as Valya Harkonnen

Courtesy of HBO

HBO has released the first official image of Emily Watson as Valya Harkonnen, leader of the mysterious Bene Gesserit. Dune: Prophecy. See above and full photo below.

From the vast universe of dunecreated by author Frank Herbert and set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, Dune: Prophecy (previously Dune – The Sisterhood) is inspired by the novel The Sisterhood of Dunewritten by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, it follows two Harkonnen sisters who battle forces that threaten the future of humanity and form the fabled sect that becomes known as the Bene Gesserit.

In addition to Watson, the series also stars Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May, Mark Strong, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Josh Heuston, Chloe Lea, Jade Anouka, Faoileann Cunningham, Edward Davis, Aoife Hinds, Chris Mason, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Jihae, Tabu, Charithra Chandran, Jessica Barden, Emma Canning and Yerin Ha.

Alison Schapker serves as showrunner and executive producer. Diane Ademu-John, who was among those who left the series early on, co-created the series and was an executive producer. Anna Foerster served as executive producer and directed several episodes, including the first. Jordan Goldberg, Mark Tobey, John Cameron, Matthew King, Scott Z. Burns and Jon Spaihts are executive producers along with writer Brian Herbert, and Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert serve as executive producers for the Estate of Frank Herbert. Writer Kevin J. Anderson serves as co-producer.

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The series is co-produced by Max and Legendary Television and is scheduled to premiere this fall.