In the “high-rank” series section they are going through “development hell” Once commissioned, ‘Dune: Sisterhood’ officially joins the prequel that HBO Max is preparing for the Denis Villeneuve film. Already last November we learned of the departure of his co-creator, Diane Ademu-John. Now the nightmare continues.
This time we have double lowfrom HBO Max they have confirmed the departure of the series of both Johan Renck (‘Chernobyl’), director of the series, as almost the most important and visible of its protagonist, Shirley Henderson. Something that the studio justifies by having entered a programmed pause to make creative changes.
“Create the best series possible”
In a statement it is clarified that Renck’s departure has been made under agreement and responds to said changes. About Henderson, who played Tula Harkonnen, they have not given details:
“As ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’ has entered a pre-scheduled hiatus, certain creative changes are being made to the production in an effort to create the best series possible while staying true to the source material. Johan Renck has completed his work on the series and a new director will be brought in; Johan is moving on to other projects under mutual agreement. Also, Shirley Henderson will be leaving the series and will no longer play Tula Harkonnen.”
As usual, the topic of “creative changes/differences/whatever” is usually euphemisms to disguise a whole range of circumstances. This new stoppage in production may also have caused conflicts with the schedules of both the team and the cast.
What we do know is that the ‘Dune’ series began to filmed last November in Budapest (and Renck has erased the record that he left of it) and it is said that the departure of Ademu-John just before forced to work at forced marches for rewrites and touch-ups here and there.
Set ten thousand years before the movie, ‘Dune: Sisterhood’ takes us to the germ of the Bene Gesserit through the Harkonnen sisters. The cast has 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. Alison Schapker is the showrunner.