Harry Potter Star To Lead HBO’s Dune Series
Harry Potter's Shirley Henderson and Chernobyl's Emily Watson have joined the cast of HBO's Dune: The Sisterhood.
A Harry Potter alumni is set to star in an HBO Dune series. According to Deadline, actress Shirley Henderson will lead the cast of HBO Max’s Dune: The Sisterhood. Henderson joins Chernobyl star Emily Watson. The series comes after the critical success of 2021’s Dune.
The HBO Max Dune series will reportedly be set 10,000 years before the accession of Paul Atreides, whom actor Timothee Chalamet currently plays on the big screen. Watson and Henderson will play the Harkonnen Sisters, Valya Harkonnen, and Tula Harkonnen, respectively. The sisters are said to have risen to power in a secret organization called the Sisterhood, which will eventually become the Bene Gesserit.
Diane Ademu-John serves as creator, co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer for the HBO Max Dune series. The project is developed by HBO Max and Legendary TV Productions. Director Denis Villeneuve, who’s currently helming the theatrical Dune films for Legendary, will also serve as executive producer.
The casting news of HBO Max’s Dune series comes after the disappointing delay of Villeneuve’s Dune sequel. The film was originally slated to hit theaters on October 20th, 2023. However, it will now release a month after, on November 17th, 2023.
On a good note, Dune 2 seems to have attracted many talented actors and actresses. Actor Austin Butler, who previously portrayed famous musician Elvis Presley in director Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, confirmed to the New York Times that he plays the villain in the upcoming sci-fi sequel. In addition to Butler, the sequel will also star actress Lea Seydoux. With HBO Max’s Dune already having cast some top talent, perhaps more recognizable names will be added shortly.
We reported through our sources that an HBO Max Dune series was coming and that it would would center on a faction within the Bene Gesserit. At the time of our original report, The Haunting of Bly Manor’s Diane Ademu-John had already signed onto the project.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect regarding the HBO Max Dune series is the possibility of Legendary defecting from Warner Bros. On August 29th, 2022, it was reported that Legendary Entertainment was possibly looking to partner with another studio after their most recent deal with Warner Bros. Discovery expired. Part of the reason why Legendary may’ve wanted to defect from WBD was because of the studio’s controversial moves related to Legendary’s projects.
Warner Media reportedly stood in the way of Legendary recouping more money for Godzilla vs. Kong. Although Legendary wanted an extra $200 million to allow the film to be streamed on Netflix, Warner Media blocked the deal to start their same-day release strategy on HBO Max. This move could lead the HBO Max Dune project to run into quite a bit of trouble in the future.
Whether or not HBO Max’s Dune gets caught in the crossfire remains to be seen. As of now, the franchise appears to be expanding, and fans of it are excited. The franchise is also gaining a lot of awards as the first installment earned a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards.
