Chernobyl star Emily Watson and Harry Potter alumna Shirly Henderson will headline the Dune prequel series at HBO Max from Legendary Television.

The series is set 10,000 years before the events of Dune and is based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

According to the entertainment website Variety, Dune: The Sisterhood follows “the Harkonnen Sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect known as the Bene Gesserit”.

Watson will play Valya Harkonnen and Henderson will essay the role of Tula Harkonnen. The character descriptions say the two sisters “have risen to power in the Sisterhood, a secret organisation of women who will go on to become the Bene Gesserit”.

In director Denis Villeneuve's 2021 feature adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal novel Dune, Charlotte Rampling played Reverend Mother Mohiam, the Emperor’s Bene Gesserit Truthsayer. Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) was the Bene Gesserit mother of the protagonist Paul (Timothee Chalamet).

The prequel series was ordered at HBO Max in June 2019. Diane Ademu-John is the creator, co-showrunner and executive producer on Dune: The Sisterhood, while Alison Schapkeris the co-showrunner and executive producer.

Johan Renck, who helmed Chernobyl, will direct the premiere episode and executive produce the show.

Legendary Television is also backing Villeneuve's film reboot of Dune, the first part of which won six Academy Awards earlier this year. The second chapter is currently in production and is expected to be released in November 2023.