Award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Arrival) has been tapped to direct the pilot episode of Dune: The Sisterhood, for Warner Brothers’ recently announced but unnamed streaming service.
Jon Spaihts (Prometheus, Doctor Strange) is set to write the series. Spaihts is no stranger to the world of Dune, as he has co-written next year’s film adaptation of the novel with Villeneuve directing. Casting news for the film set the internet ablaze with the sheer quantity of performers taking on these memorable characters, with actors like Charlotte Rampling, Timothée Chalamet, and Oscar Isaac stirring up excitement for the film.
The announcement of the show is odd considering it will spin off of the upcoming film. Villeneuve’s last film, Blade Runner 2049, was a critical darling but did not perform well at the box office. A sci-fi epic helmed by Villeneuve is not a guarantee of box office success, so only time will tell if Warner’s gamble will pay off.
Details on the show are not yet known, but it will be a female-focused take on Frank Herbert’s iconic novel featuring the Bene Gesserit, a female political group. Villeneuve said in a statement, “The Bene Gesserit have always been fascinating to me. Focusing a series around that powerful order of women seemed not only relevant and inspiring but a dynamic setting for the television series.”
Despite the focus on the female side of this universe, there isn’t a single woman announced to be a part of this project aside from Kim Herbert as one of the show’s executive producers.
Details concerning Warner’s streaming service are expected to be announced later this year. The Dune film hits theatres on November 20, 2020.
