Dune: The Sisterhood Series Loses Director & Lead Star

According to Deadline, HBO Max’s upcoming prequel series Dune: The Sisterhood is currently on production hiatus as it undergoes creative changes, which included the exits of one of its directors and leading actresses. It has been confirmed that Chernobyl executive producer Johan Renck has officially left the project’s directorial lineup due to creative differences.

BAFTA nominee Shirley Henderson, who initially landed the leading role of Tula Harkonnen, has also exited the cast of Dune: The Sisterhood. Casting is currently underway for the new leading actress set to take over Henderson’s character.

“As Dune: The Sisterhood 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,” HBO Max spokesperson said in a statement. “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.”

The series will star Emily Watson, Indira Varma, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Faoileann Cunningham, Aoife Hinds, Chloe Lea, Travis Fimmel, Mark Strong, Jade Anouka, Chris Mason, Josh Heuston and Edward Davis. Set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, Dune: The Sisterhood will follow the Harkonnen Sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankin and establish the fabled sect known as the Bene Gesserit.

The project hails from Legendary Television. Diane Ademu-John previously served as co-showrunner with Alison Schapker before stepping down from the role last month. Executive producers are Ademu-John, Schapker, Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts, Scott Z. Burns, Matthew King, John Cameron, and Cait Collins, along with Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, and Kim Herbert on behalf of the Frank Herbert estate.

Dune: The Sisterhood will be set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s epic Dune novel series and take place 10,000 years prior to the events of the original Dune book. The series is told through the eyes of a mysterious order of women known as the Bene Gesserit. Armed with extraordinary abilities, this group of women weaves through the feudal politics of Dune, pursuing their own plans that ultimately lead them to the enigmatic planet Arrakis, and the events of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films.