HBO Max’s Dune prequel series Dune: The Sisterhood has seen another internal change, losing both a director and one of its stars.
deadline first broke the news today. Star Shirley Henderson, who was to play Tula Harkonnen, and Johan Renck, who was to direct the first two episodes, left the series because she apparently undergoes “creative changes.”
“As Dune: The Sisterhood has gone into a pre-scheduled hiatus, some creative changes are being made to production in an effort to create the best series possible while staying true to the source material,” an HBO Max spokesperson said in a statement. . “Johan Renck has completed his work on the series and a new director will be joining; by mutual agreement, Johan is moving on to other projects. Additionally, Shirley Henderson will be leaving the series and will no longer play Tula Harkonnen.”
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It’s just the latest major change Dune: The Sisterhood has seen since it was first announced in 2019. Co-showrunner Jon Spaihts stepped down in 2021 and was replaced by Diane Ademu-John, who stepped down last November. Veteran television writer Alison Schapker, best known for her work on Lost, now remains sole showrunner.
Villeneuve was also originally set to direct the premiere and left that role several months after it was announced, though he is still attached to the project as an executive producer.
According to Deadline’s report, Renck’s “auteur approach” clashed with HBO Max’s vision for the series and was a departure from the look of Villeneuve’s films. This does not affect the release of Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, currently scheduled to debut in theaters on November 3.
Dune: The Sisterhood is based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 and is set 10,000 years before the events of the 2021 film. It follows the Harkonnen Sisters (Emily Watson and Shirley Henderson) as they battle the forces that threaten humanity and establish the legendary Bene Gesserit.
Alex Stedman is Senior News Editor at IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When he’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
