Deadline reported that filming on the spinoff prequel series Dune: The Sisterhood, which has been in development for several years, will begin in Budapest, Hungary, next month. The next episode in the franchise, Dune: Part Two, will begin production at the same time as the show. This news follows the recent confirmation that Indira Varma, who recently appeared in Obi-Wan Kenobi, will be playing Empress Natalya in the show. Emily Watson (Chernobyl) and Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) will co-star with Varma as Valya and Tula Harkonnen, respectively, in the series. The show’s creator, Diane Ademu-John, is also involved in other aspects of production.
Along with Alison Schapker, Ademu-John is an executive producer on the programme. The director, Johan Renck, has worked on programmes including Chornobyl and Breaking Bad. Unknown at this time is the exact plot points of the planned series, although it will be based on Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Reports suggest that the programme will take place 10,000 years before the events of Dune and will follow the Harkonnen Sisters as they fight against enemies of mankind and the first members of the Bene Gesserit order. Set 10,000 years before the events of the first film, the new series has the opportunity to deepen and broaden the franchise’s already expansive and intricate canon in ways never seen on screen.
Dune: The Sisterhood has a promising idea and a cast of great performers, so lovers of the Dune world should keep an eye out for it when it premieres on HBO Max. Dune, based on the best-selling novel of the same name, premiered in cinemas and on HBO Max in October 2021 to widespread critical acclaim for its epic scope, stellar performances, and faithful worldbuilding. Ten Oscars, including Best Picture, were later up for grabs, with six going to the film in the end. There is currently production on Dune 2: The Second Coming, which is scheduled for release on November 3, 2023.
It looks like the popular universe established by Frank Herbert has a long future ahead on screen, with a sequel in the works and a television series centring on the Bene Gesserit order. Dune: The Sisterhood is directed by Denis Villeneuve, who also directed the first two films in the trilogy, and is executive produced by JonSpaihts, Scott Z. Burns, Matthew King, John Cameron, and Cait Collins. Anderson is a co-producer on the show, and Herbert, Byron Merritt, and Kim Herbert are executive producers. The show will be co-produced by HBO Max and Legendary Television.
There has been no announcement regarding a specific release date for Dune: The Sisterhood.