Vikings Star Travis Fimmel Boards Dune: The Sisterhood

In 2021, director Denis Villeneuve — who'd like to take on this iconic franchise someday — took on the daunting task of adapting author Frank Herbert's 1965 novel "Dune" for the cinema. While he was hardly the first person to try and do so, he was the first person to give it a shot since 1984, when director David Lynch took a crack at it. With a cast including the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Stellan Skarsgård, and numerous other top-tier actors, an appropriately surreal aesthetic, and a gripping story, it's not a shock that "Dune" turned out to be nothing short of a silver screen (and HBO Max streaming service) sensation.

Despite its hybrid streaming and theatrical release, "Dune" thrived in the financial department and proved a hit with moviegoers and critics alike. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that a sequel is on the way, aptly titled "Dune: Part 2." Villeneuve and much of the cast from the first will return, in addition to franchise newcomers Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and more. However, a "Dune" sequel isn't the only piece of media connected to the 2021 movie that's on the way. A television series, "Dune: The Sisterhood," based on the book "Sisterhood of Dune," is also on its way down the production pipeline.

As "Dune: The Sisterhood" comes together, we've learned that "Vikings" favorite Travis Fimmel has boarded the project. We also know how his character will fit into the story.

On November 8, 2022, Variety reported that Travis Fimmel has joined the ever-expanding cast of "Dune: The Sisterhood." For those unfamiliar with him, he's best known for his work as Ragnar Lothbrok on the History series "Vikings" for the first four seasons, as well as his performances on the HBO Max series "Raised by Wolves" and in the 2016 film "Warcraft" (via IMDb). The publication notes that for "Dune: The Sisterhood," he'll take on the role of Desmond Hart: a soldier with loads of charisma and a mysterious past who's desperate to earn the Emperor's favor by any means necessary.

Set roughly 10,000 years prior to 2021's "Dune," "Dune: The Sisterhood" focuses on the Harkonnen sisters — as portrayed by Emily Watson and Shirley Henderson — who take it upon themselves to defend humanity from dangerous forces. In doing so, they'll form the powerful and influential faction known as the Bene Gesserit. Fimmel joins an already stacked cast, including Watson, Henderson, Indira Varma, Chloe Lea, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Faoileann Cunningham, and Aoife Hinds. Diane Ademu-John created the program and will also serve as co-showrunner and executive producer.

At the time of this writing, "Dune: The Sisterhood" lacks a release date, though when it does inevitably debut, it will do so on HBO Max. Meanwhile, "Dune: Part 2" aims to release theatrically on November 3, 2023.