DUNE: THE SISTERHOOD: Brian Herbert & Kevin Anderson’s Book, Not Frank Herbert’s Novels, Will be Used for the Series [HBO Max]

Dune TV Series to be Based on Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson’s Novel

When HBO Max announced that following the new adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune, that they would eventually be airing a Dune TV series, entitled Dune: The Sisterhood, in that same universe, fans of Herbert’s extraordinary science-fiction novel thought “Hurray!”

Many expect the Bene Gesserit to be marginalized in director Denis Villeneuve‘s new Dune adaptation (there are far too many characters to focus solely on them). In the book, the Bene Gesserit are not the central characters, technically, but are rather shadow characters, moving people and shaping events. With the TV series, all of the things that the film’s producers leave out of the movie (the precursor material) some people expected would show up in the TV series in some form or another.

It seems that the creators of Dune: The Sisterhood have something else in mind. This was the synopsis of the Dune: The Sisterhood when the TV series was announced in June 2019:

Dune: The Sisterhood‘s plot synopsis: “‘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.”

Recently on WarnerMedia’s website, they released an updated synopsis of the Dune spin-off TV series. That updated synopsis was quickly deleted from WarnerMedia’s website but it was screenshot and we have it for you below:

The written text of the updated Dune: The Sisterhood plot synopsis:

An adaptation of Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson’s book based in the world created by Frank Herbert’s Dune, Dune: The Sisterhood explores this universe through the eyes of a mysterious order of women, the Bene Gesserit, whose extraordinary mastery of the body and the mind allow them to expertly weave through the feudal politics and intrigue of The Imperium.

I can honestly say that I wasn’t expecting this. Many people were not. That is why, I imagine, WarnerMedia deleted the updated plot synopsis from their website.

I have nothing against Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson but Frank Herbert’s Dune novels are works of genius, especially the first three. That is the best source of the Bene Gesserit or Bene Gesserit stories, nothing else. Any other source is less than.

Here is the plot of the book Sisterhood of Dune written by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson:

It is eighty-three years after the last of the thinking machines were destroyed in the Battle of Corrin, after Faykan Butler took the name of Corrino and established himself as the first Emperor of a new Imperium. Great changes are brewing that will shape and twist all of humankind.

The war hero Vorian Atreides has turned his back on politics and Salusa Secundus. The descendants of Abulurd Harkonnen Griffen and Valya have sworn vengeance against Vor, blaming him for the downfall of their fortunes. Raquella Berto-Anirul has formed the Bene Gesserit School on the jungle planet Rossak as the first Reverend Mother. The descendants of Aurelius Venport and Norma Cenva have built Venport Holdings, using mutated, spice-saturated Navigators who fly precursors of Heighliners. Gilbertus Albans, the ward of the hated Erasmus, is teaching humans to become Mentats…and hiding an unbelievable secret.

The Butlerian movement, rabidly opposed to all forms of “dangerous technology,” is led by Manford Torondo and his devoted Swordmaster, Anari Idaho. And it is this group, so many decades after the defeat of the thinking machines, which begins to sweep across the known universe in mobs, millions strong, destroying everything in its path.

Advertisement

 

Every one of these characters, and all of these groups, will become enmeshed in the contest between Reason and Faith. All of them will be forced to choose sides in the inevitable crusade that could destroy humankind forever….

Like Thufir Hawat said in Dune: “The first step in avoiding a trap is knowing of its existence.”

I sincerely hope that Dune: The Sisterhood is based on the first six Dune novels that Frank Herbert wrote, the appendices at the back of Dune, etc. If the new Dune book, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, has to be used, hopefully we get a fusion of the old with the new.

Leave your thoughts on the Dune: The Sisterhood TV Series being based on Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson Novel, and this article, below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more Dune: The Sisterhood news can visit our Dune: The Sisterhood Page and our Dune: The Sisterhood Twitter Page. Readers seeking more TV show news can visit our TV Show News Page and TV Show News Twitter Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Flipboard.