With the remake of the popular science fiction work “Dune” by Frank Herbert, director Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”) in the fall of 2021 delighted not only critics, but also the cinema audience. With “Dune 2”, the adaptation of the second half of the book template will hit theaters soon, on November 2, 2023 to be exact.
But that is not everything. Because a “Dune” spin-off series is coming to HBO Max, possibly even shortly after the theatrical release of “Dune 2” – at least according to the latest information, the target was late November 2023. Dune: The Sisterhood is in the works since 2019 and continues to take shape. Production started in Budapest at the end of last year, but now there is a setback.
“The Sisterhood” loses director and star
How reports, is a director Johan Renck (“Chernobyl”) is no longer part of the crew of “The Sisterhood”.. And whether the scenes he has already shot will be used for the series is not yet certain. Officially, no specific reason was given for Renck’s departure, only “creative changes to make the best series possible and stay true to the original material” were discussed.
But wants to know from an insider that the director’s vision didn’t match HBO Max’s. In particular, the streaming service is said to have disliked the series director’s “author” approach, and the look he came up with deviated too much from Villeneuve’s “Dune” films.
Also no longer on board the production: actress Shirley Henderson (“Harry Potter”, “Star Wars 9”). Henderson was set to play Tula Harkonnen, a co-star alongside Tula’s sister Valya (played by Emily Warson). The series focuses on the secret sisterhood later to be known as the Bene Gesserit, and Tula and Valya are part of it. It is unknown how or if Henderson will be replaced. It’s also unclear whether the actress dropped out because of the creative changes themselves or because of the resulting scheduling issues.
In the movies, the Harkonnens are the opponents of the Atreides. In the series, which takes place 10,000 years before “Dune”, it is different. In “The Sisterhood”, the sisters face dark forces that threaten the future of humanity.
It is not yet known to what extent the shooting will be affected by these changes and whether scenes that have already been shot will be discarded. A recording break is currently being taken, but it is unclear whether this was planned in advance or whether it had to be planned at short notice. If you want to know more about the “Dune” universe, take a look at this video: