Jon Spaihts has stepped down as the showrunner of the HBO Max series “Dune: The Sisterhood,” Variety has confirmed.
Spaihts will remain onboard as an executive producer and will focus on writing the script for a second “Dune” reboot film.
The TV series was ordered straight-to-series at HBO Max in June. Denis Villeneuve is still attached to direct the pilot. Along with Spaihts, Villeneuve, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert for the Frank Herbert estate will executive produce. Kevin J. Anderson will co-produce. The series hails from Legendary Television, with Legendary also producing the upcoming film reboot.
Spaihts’ previous film credits include “The Darkest Hour,” “Doctor Strange,” “Prometheus,” and “Passengers.”
Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s epic “Dune” novel series, “Dune: The Sisterhood” is told through the eyes of a mysterious order of women known as the Bene Gesserit. Given extraordinary abilities by their mastery of the body and the mind, the Bene Gesserit expertly weave through the feudal politics and intrigue of The Imperium, pursuing plans of their own that will ultimately lead them to the enigmatic planet Arrakis, known to its inhabitants as Dune.
Legendary has previously indicated it plans to expand the “Dune” franchise across multiple platforms. The film reboot is slated to hit theaters on Nov. 20, 2020. Spaihts and Villeneuve also co-wrote the screenplay for the film along with Eric Roth Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, and Dave Bautista are among those attached to star. The book had previously been adapted into a 1984 film written and directed by David Lynch.
The Hollywood Reporter first broke the news of Spaihts’ exit.