Dune: The Sisterhood Gets Back On Track With New Director And Cast Members

"Dune: The Sisterhood," the Max Original series spinning off the universe of "Dune," is back on track as a new director and two new stars have been confirmed, per Deadline. The project previously lost director Johan Renck in February, as well as star Shirley Henderson, amid what was characterized as a "creative overhaul," resulting in a production hiatus.

Taking their place will be a trio of talent, beginning with Anna Foerster as director. Foerster has previously helmed episodes of the now-defunct HBO series "Westworld," Netflix's Marvel series "Jessica Jones," and the Starz historical drama, "Outlander." Also coming aboard are actors Olivia Williams, best known for her work as Camilla Bowles on Netflix's "The Crown," and Jodhi May, who previously appeared as Queen Calanthe in Netflix's "The Witcher."

Williams will appear in the role of Tula Harkonnen, an ancestor of several "Dune" characters and a founder of the clandestine Bene Gesserit sisterhood. May is set to play Natalya, a new character created for the series. May will replace Indira Varma in the role.

The arrival of new talent to "Dune: The Sisterhood" puts the production back on track, surely reason for studio executives to breathe a small sigh of relief. As Warner Bros. Discovery gears up for the November release of Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Two," the studio appears eager to capitalize on the success of the franchise. With its other major franchises floundering — most notably DC superheroes, which saw a monumental box office stumble with "The Flash," and J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World, which has been in decline due to Rowling's personal activities and decreased interest in the "Fantastic Beasts" spin-off films — "Dune" may be the last great hope for the once ascendant studio.

The first film in Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" series adapted Frank Herbert's iconic science fiction book of the same title, long considered unfilmable due to its epic scale and esoteric elements. The film won major praise from critics and proved successful even in the anemic moviegoing climate of late 2021. "Dune: The Sisterhood" promises to dive even further into the stranger elements of Herbert's source material. Set 10,000 years prior to the events of "Dune," it will chronicle the secretive Bene Gesserit, a mystic order of women who wield cryptic powers.