“Dune” is available in series from Monday

Regenerated in the cinema with Timothée Chalamet, “Dune” is now available in a series going back in time to explore the origins of this cult science fiction saga.

“There is a bit of pressure,” admits actor Travis Fimmel, met in Paris by AFP a few days before the broadcast of “Dune: Prophecy”, from November 17 in the United States and the next day in France on the Max platform of the American conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery (on Canal+ in French-speaking Switzerland).

“There is a large community of fans of the saga universe. They are all in, with an opinion on everything, obsessed with details: I have the impression that I should go to university to learn everything they know,” explains the forty-year-old Australian, notably seen in the series “Vikings”.

It is the American screenwriter and producer Alison Schapker (“Alias” or “Lost” series) who inherited the heavy role of supervisor of this series. “Dune: Prophecy” has experienced its share of setbacks, between screenwriters’ strikes, directors’ or actors’ waltz, without forgetting the impact of the health crisis at the start of the project five years ago.

If he appears in the background on the visuals of the series behind the Englishwoman Emily Watson, the character played by Travis Fimmel is the great provider of adrenaline in the six episodes of almost an hour each of this program from HBO (stable American standards “Game of Thrones” or “The Wire”).

“Dune: Prophecy” is a prequel, which takes place 10,000 years before the odyssey of Paul Atréides, the character played by Timothée Chalamet in the two recent films, while waiting for the third.

The series is adapted from “The Sisterhood”, a novel by Brian Herbert (son of Frank Herbert, writer-creator of the “Dune” saga) and Kevin J. Anderson. We focus on the matriarchal community at the origins of the order of the Bene Gesserit, these shadow advisors with supernatural powers.

Emily Watson, mother superior of this guild, will find a major obstacle in her path with the character shrouded in mystery played by Travis Fimmel.

“I have the impression that our characters are worthy opponents of each other in this great game of chess where everyone hides their real intentions,” rejoices the Australian.

We find a bit of Ragnar from the “Vikings” series, a charismatic, Machiavellian and cruel warlord, in Desmond Hart played by Travis Fimmel in “Dune: Prophecy”. The moment when he reveals his true face gives rise to a shocking sequence, which we will not reveal.

“I liked that the creators took such a risk with this scene. It’s intriguing, my character thinks it’s justified to do things like that. It affects him emotionally and physically to do that and, the little extra, is that he gets off a bit, like in a sadomasochistic practice.

“Over time, fans of the Vikings series come to think that Ragnar, who I played, is some kind of hero, but he did horrible things too. In any case, as an actor, it’s always very pleasant to play this type of role,” explains Travis Fimmel.

After the books, the films and this series, an online video game, “Dune: Awakening”, which plows the terrain of the famous desert planet Arrakis and its giant worms, must also be released next year.