Renck made the announcement on his Instagram account where he posted an image of the novel the film is based on with the following caption “On this day, we commence filming Dune: The Sisterhood for HBO Max. Through machinations taking place millenia before the story you all know, we descend into the coven that one day shall be named the Bene Gesserit. Say it with me: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.”” The events of Dune: The Sisterhood are set 10,000 years before the main novel. It is based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune published in 2012 and written by Brian Herbert, the elder son of Dune universe creator Frank Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson. The series will chronicle the origins of the Bene Gesserit – a sisterhood that, through rigorous mental and physical training, has supernatural abilities. A post shared by Johan Renck (@johanrenck) Dune: The Sisterhood will star an ensemble cast that includes Emily Watson and Shirley Henderson as the leading Harkonnen sisters Valya and Tula. The other members of the cast are Indira Varma, Chloe Lea, Aoife Hinds, Faoileann Cunningham, Travis Fimmel, and Shalom Brune-Franklin who will play Empress Natalya, Lila, Sister Emeline, Sister Jen, Desmond Hart, Mikaela, and Princess Ynez respectively. The first Dune film was released in late 2021. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film starred Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin, and a host of other talented actors. The film had a hybrid release in theaters and on HBO Max. It grossed $401 million against a $165 million budget and was renewed for a sequel barely a week after its release. Renck is a Swedish director who is best known for his Emmy Award directing on the miniseries Chernobyl. He has directed numerous episodes across numerous shows, including The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Vikings, and Bloodline. Renck will helm the first two episodes of Dune: The Sisterhood. The show’s creator is Diane Ademu-John, whose portfolio includes Empire, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and The Originals. She will also write, executive produce, and serve as a showrunner. Alison Schapker, popular for her work on Altered Carbon, Fringe, and Alias will serve as co-showrunner and also executively produce. Apart from Renck, there is currently no information on who else will direct the series. In other news, James Cameron has revealed that his forthcoming film, Avatar: The Way of Water, must earn over $2 billion to break even, as it was insanely expensive to make. Also, the director of Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, has stated that the franchise’s next big bad, Kang the Conqueror, will have a profound impact on the MCU. At the moment, HBO Max hasn’t announced a release date for the prequel series. However, since it has only just begun filming, there is little chance it will be ready for release before 2024. Dune 2 is currently in production and is slated for release on November 3, 2023.
