Dune's HBO Max spin-off sets leads

HBO Max's upcoming spinoff series Dune: The Sisterhood has found its leads.

Emily Watson (Chornobyl, The Third Day) and Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter film franchise and the voice of Babu Frik in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) are set to star as Valya Harkonnen and Tula Harkonnen, respectively.

Set 10,000 years before the events of 2021's Dune, the series will follow the Harkonnen sisters as they rise to power within the Sisterhood, a secret organization of women who will go on to become the Bene Gesserit, and combat deadly forces that threaten the future of mankind (via Deadline). 

Diane Ademu-John (The Haunting of Bly Manor, Empire) and Alison Schapker (Fringe, Altered Carbon) serve as co-showrunners and executive producers, with the former also serving as head writer. Denis Villeneuve, who wrote and directed Dune: Part One is also set to executive produce.

Dune: Part One, the third adaptation of author Frank Herbert's sci-fi fantasy series, racked up over $400 million worldwide in box-office sales – despite being able to simultaneously stream on HBO Max. Along with overall positive reception from critics, Part One earned nine Oscar nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Picture.

Dune: The Sisterhood does not yet have a release date, though we can expect to see Dune: Part Two on November 17, 2023. For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2022 and beyond, or check out our list of the best TV shows of all time.