Max Retitles ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’ To ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ Announces Release Date
John F. Trent
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HBO reportedly retitled their previously announced Dune: The Sisterhood to Dune: Prophecy during a presentation given by HBO and Max CEO Casey Bloys at the company’s offices in New York.
A battle scene in Dune: Part 2 (2023), Warner Bros. Pictures
Dune: The Sisterhood was initially announced back in June 2019 with Variety detailing the series would focus on the Bene Gesserit as they wield their political acumen throughout the Imperium and pursue their plans that leads them to the planet Arrakis aka Dune.
For those unfamiliar with the Bene Gesserit, they are a group of powerful women who seek the Kwisatz Haderach, a male Bene Gesserit who has the mental powers to bridge time and space. They do so through a very structured breeding program that they have instilled throughout the Imperium.
Bene Gesserit are trained to maximize both their physical and mental potential. They practice a hand-to-hand combat technique called the Weirding Way which is unrivaled. They also have the ability to use The Voice, which allows them to influence individuals by giving them a command.
Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica in Dune (2021), Warner Bros. Pictures
RELATED: Dune TV Series Featuring Bene Gesserit In The Works From Director Denis Villeneuve
The pilot episode for Dune: The Sisterhood was expected to be directed by Dune director Denis Villeneuve based off a script written by Jon Spaihts. Villeneuve and Spaihts wrote the screenplay for the film alongside Eric Roth.
“The Bene Gesserit have always been fascinating to me,” Villeneuve said at the time. “Focusing a series around that powerful order of women seemed not only relevant and inspiring but a dynamic setting for the television series.”
However, Villeneuve left the project just a few short months after it was announced albeit he still remains an executive producer.
Denis Villeneuve speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for “Blade Runner 2049”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
The series hit some roadblocks back in November 2022 when it lost director Johan Renck — he was expected to direct two episodes — and one of the show’s lead actresses Shirley Henderson.
In February it was reported by IndieWire’s Wilson Chapman that the series had “reportedly been put on hold until replacements for both” could be found.
Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) embraces his destiny as Duke in Dune: Part Two (2023), Warner Bros. Discovery
A Max spokesman detailed that the loss of Renck and Henderson was due to an “effort to create the best series possible.”
The spokesman stated, “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.”
“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 spokesman added.
Timothy Chalamet as Paul Atreides in Dune: Part 2 (2023), Warner Bros. Pictures
Now, IndieWire reports that Bloys “hopes” the series will complete production by the end of the year — it is currently filming in Europe —and will arrive on the Max streaming service in Fall 2024.
The series is reportedly supposed to take 10,000 years before the events of Frank Herbert’s original Dune novel and follows a clan of Harkonnen sisters as they battle against forces threatening mankind.
The most logical conclusion is the show might see early Bene Gesserit of the Missionaria Protectiva seeding the planet of Arrakis with the prophecy of the Lisan al Gaib or the Voice from the Outer World that will lead the Fremen and aid them in terraforming the planet from a desert into a lush paradise.
The show is expected to star Emily Watson, Indira Varma, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Shalom Brune Franklin, Faoileann Cunningham, Aoife Hinds, Chloe Lea, Travis Fimmel, Mark Strong, Jade Anouka, and Chris Mason.
The Bene Gesserit conspire amongst themselves in Dune (1984), Universal Pictures
What do you make of this title change and release date announcement?
NEXT: Dune Star Josh Brolin Calls Snub Of Denis Villeneuve In Best Director Oscar Category “Really Dumb”
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