The production of Dune‘s first spin-off series The Sisterhood has hit a major hurdle with its co-showrunner leaving the project just days into the filming.
Diane Ademu-John has left The Sisterhood despite being the creator of the adaptation, the co-showrunner, and the writer of the series. The move is particularly surprising given Ademu-John’s excellent track record with big-budget TV, with her producer on both The Haunting of Bly Manor and Empire.
No reason has been given for Ademu-John’s exit, and it might be a classic case of Hollywood creative differences. Ademu-John’s departure does open the door for another excellent television visionary.
Variety has reported she will still serve as executive producer on the project, as co-showrunner Alison Schapker will now serve as the sole showrunner for The Sisterhood. Schapker has worked on several strong science-fiction shows in her career, including Alias, Fringe, and Netflix’s hit Altered Carbon.
Dune: The Sisterhood is currently filming in Hungary, where Dune: Part Two has been filming for several months. The Sisterhood will be based on the Sisterhood of Dune book series, which is set around 10,000 years before the Timothee Chalamet-era of Dune seen in Part One.
Part One was a huge success for Legendary Pictures, with its risky move to bring the series into the 21st century proving fruitful. Winning six Oscars at the 2022 Academy Awards, it was the most successful film at the ceremony. The sequel has been filming since July 2022, with it currently set for release Nov. 3, 2023.
Dune: The Sisterhood does not have a concrete release window, but will see Denis Villeneuve act as executive producer.
