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Tag: Dune: The Sisterhood

  • HBO Max’s ‘Dune’ Spinoff Falling Apart as Director and Star Exit

    HBO Max’s ‘Dune’ Spinoff Falling Apart as Director and Star Exit

    It’s not Dune yet but the upcoming spinoff Dune: The Sisterhood is facing quite some production troubles. It started production back in November but has gone through quite the creative shift that is definitely going to end up pricey for HBO Max. Chernobyl‘s Johan Reenck has seemingly left the project, as he was set to direct the first two episodes. Production has been put on hold but this also lead to one of its leads, Shirley Henderson, leaving the project as well.

    Henderson was set to play Tula Harkonnen, who is currently being recast. That isn’t all, as this news comes just as co-showrunner and pilot scribe Diane Ademu-John has also stepped down. Now, Alison Schapker is the sole showrunner for the project spearheaded by Legendary productions. An HBO Max spokesperson had the following to say:

    As Dune: The Sisterhood (wt) has entered a pre-scheduled hiatus, there are some creative changes being made to the production in an effort to create the best series possible and stay true to the source material. Johan Renck has completed his work on the series and a new director will be brought on; through mutual agreement, Johan is moving on to pursue other projects. Additionally, Shirley Henderson will be exiting the series and will no longer be playing Tula Harkonnen.

    It seems the showrunner change put a lot of pressure on Schapker, which led to major rewrites as the series was starting production in Budapest. It also seems the director Renck‘s more “auteur” approach wasn’t quite coming together with the vision of the series and was moving too far away from Denis Villeneuve‘s film. As of now, there’s no word if they’ll even use any of the footage he filmed or reshoot the entire thing.

    At the moment, there’s no clear indicator of if the current hiatus was planned or not. Some believe it was always meant to pause during the winter months while others hint it may have been pushed back by seven months to rework the entire series and find a new director. Henderson leaving is also unclear at the moment but it seems her schedule was one of the reasons that she had to leave.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Dune’ Prequel Series Adds Mark Strong, Chris Mason, and Jade Anouka

    ‘Dune’ Prequel Series Adds Mark Strong, Chris Mason, and Jade Anouka

    Director Denis Villeneuve has been quite busy on the sequel to last year’s Dune. Yet, they have many more plans for this franchise as the upcoming HBO Max series has been busy working on the prequel series Dune: The Sisterhood. It’s based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson which takes place 10,000 years before the original novels and film. Now, the story has seemingly found its next batch of actors.

    Acting legend Mark Strong is joining the project as Emperor Javicco Corrino, who is “a man from a great line of war-time Emperors, who is called upon to govern the Imperium and manage a fragile peace.” Jade Anouka has also joined the project as Sister Theodosia, who “harbors a dangerous secret about her past.” while Chris Mason will take on the role of Keiran Atreides, “a Swordmaster to a Great House whose ambition to live up to his family name is disrupted when he forms an unexpected connection to a member of the royal family.”

    The serise already has an impressive cast that consists of Indira Varma, Travis Fimmel, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Aoife Hinds, Chloe Lea, and many more. Diane Ademu-John is working on the project as an executive producer, but passed on the showrunner duties to Alison Schapker. With the introduction of a member of the Atreides family, it’ll be interesting if they still want to set up seeds that connect the project to the original films even if 10,000 years set it apart.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’ Adds Five Cast Members

    ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’ Adds Five Cast Members

    Fear not, Dune believers, it would appear The Sisterhood is still on track to come alive at HBO. The prequel series, set 10,000 years before the events of Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 sci-fi epic, has added five new performers to its cast. Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Faoileann Cunningham, Aoife Hinds and Chloe Lea have joined the production as series regulars, alongside previously announced stars Emily Watson, Shirley Henderson, and Indira Varma.

    Based on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson‘s novel Sisterhood of Dune, the show, titled Dune: The Sisterhood, follows the sisters of the Harkonnen family as they deal with forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect known as the Bene Gesserit. Watson and Henderson will play the titular siblings, while Varma portrays Empress Natalya – a formidable royal who united thousands of worlds via a marriage to the Emperor Corrino. Boussnina is set to play Princess Ynez, an independent young woman dealing with the pressures of her responsibility as heir to the Golden Lion Throne. Additionally, Brune-Franklin will play Mikaela, “a strong-willed Fremen woman who serves the royal family while longing for a home planet she’s never known.”

    Cunningham, Hinds, and Lea will help fill out the members of the Sisterhood School. Sister Jen (Cunningham) is a fierce and unpredictable acolyte in training who appears to be emotionally closed off. Sister Emeline (Hinds) is a zealous acolyte descended from a long line of martyrs, who continues to be fervently religious in her training. Finally, Lila (Lea) is the youngest acolyte at the Sisterhood School who is mature well beyond her years.

    Dune: The Sisterhood is being produced by Villeneuve, Herbert and Legendary Television, alongside Jon Spaihts, Scott Z. Burns, Matthew King, John Cameron, and Cait Collins. Diane Ademu-John will serve as creator, writer, and co-showrunner, with Johan Renck directing the pilot episode. There is currently no release date.

    Source: Deadline

  • Indira Varma Joins ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’

    Indira Varma Joins ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’

    Game Of Thrones and Obi-Wan actress Indira Varma has joined the cast of Dune: The Sisterhood. The news was first revealed by Deadline with the outlet noting she’s set to portray Empress Natalya, who is described as “a formidable royal who united thousands of worlds in her marriage to Emperor Corrino.” The actress will join the previously announced Emily Watson and Shirley Henderson.

    The Sisterhood takes place 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides and focuses on the Harkonnen sisters as they “combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect known as the Bene Gesserit.”

    Varma can next be seen in the Apple TV+ anthology series Extrapolations. She’s also set to star in next year’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One. She recently starred as Tala Durith in the Disney+ series, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Other credits to Varma’s name include the animated series The Legend of Vox Machina and the Prime Video series Carnival Row.

    Diane Ademu-John (The Haunting of Bly Manor) serves as the creator, writer, co-showrunner and executive producer for Dune: The Sisterhood. She’ll work with Alison Schapker (Lost) who also serves as co-showrunner and executive producer. Johan Renck (Chernobyl) is set to direct the pilot episode and will also serve as an executive producer. Denis Villeneuve (Dune) is also executive producing with Jon Spaihts, Scott Z. Burns, Matthew King, John Cameron, Cait Collins and author Brian Herbert.

    Source: Deadline.

  • Emily Watson & Shirley Henderson Join ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’

    Emily Watson & Shirley Henderson Join ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’

    HBO Max has set Emily Watson (Chernobyl) and Shirley Henderson (Bridget Jones’s Baby) to lead its Dune series, Dune: The Sisterhood. The news was revealed by the streamer on Tuesday afternoon. Watson and Henderson will portray the formidable Harkonnen sisters, Valya Harkonnen and Tula Harkonnen, respectively. The Harkonnen sisters are part of the Sisterhood, a secret organization of women who will eventually go on to become the Bene Gesserit.

    Like the film by Denis Villeneuve, Dune: The Sisterhood is inspired by the books by Frank Herbert. The Sisterhood takes place 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides and focuses on the Harkonnen sisters as they “combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect known as the Bene Gesserit.”

    Along with starring in Chernobyl, Watson has starred in the Little Women TV mini-series, Punch-Drunk Love, and Tim Burton‘s Corpse Bride. As for Henderson, along with starring in the Bridget Jones films, Henderson has appeared in Happy Valley, Marie Antoinette and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – she also voiced Babu Frik in Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.

    Diane Ademu-John (The Haunting of Bly Manor) serves as the creator, writer, co-showrunner and executive producer on the project. She’ll work with Alison Schapker (Lost) who also serves as co-showrunner and executive producer. Johan Renck (Chernobyl) is set to direct the pilot episode and will also serve as an executive producer. Denis Villeneuve (Dune) is also executive producing with Jon Spaihts, Scott Z. Burns, Matthew King, John Cameron, Cait Collins and author Brian Herbert.

    Source: Deadline.