Max Originals ‘The Penguin’ & ‘Dune: Prophecy’ Moving To HBO
Last month, Warner Bros. Discovery shifted three of its highest profile Max Originals – Harry Potter, Lanterns and IT prequel Welcome To Derry – to become HBO Originals.
The company is now continuing this shift with the move of The Penguin and Dune: Prophecy.
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Both shows will now premiere on HBO as well as launching on its Max streaming service.
It is part of a strategy to rebrand its highest profile titles into HBO Originals, giving them a linear airing on the premium cable network as well as a streaming bow. When the move was originally unveiled in June, the company said it was not sure whether The Penguin, which is set to premiere in September, and Dune: Prophecy would fall under the new branding but this has now been cleared up.
WBD said last month that Max original series Harry Potter and Welcome to Derry were moving to HBO. Green Lantern series Lanterns also is part of this strategic move after being handed a series order at HBO.
The Penguin stars Colin Farrell as the titular character. Developed by Lauren LeFranc, Farrell will reprise his role as the Gotham City gangster from Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Theo Rossi, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Clancy Brown, and Michael Zegen also star.
It comes from Reeves’ 6th & Idaho Productions and Dylan Clark Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios with Reeves, Farrell, LeFranc, Clark, Bill Carraro and Daniel Pipski exec producing. LeFranc is showrunner and Craig Zobel directs the first three episodes.
Farrell said in March, having just wrapped, that the show is “really dark”, “heavy” and “incredibly violent.”
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Meanwhile, Dune: Prophecy was ordered five years ago and is expected to launch later this year.
From the expansive universe of Dune, created by author Frank Herbert, and set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, Dune: Prophecy (fka Dune: The Sisterhood) is inspired by the novel Sisterhood Of Dune, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. It follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.
The series, which underwent several major casting, writing and directing changes as it navigated a pandemic and strikes, stars Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May, Mark Strong, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Josh Heuston, Chloe Lea, Jade Anouka, Faoileann Cunningham, Edward Davis, Aoife Hinds, Chris Mason, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Jihae, Tabu, Charithra Chandran, Jessica Barden, Emma Canning, and Yerin Ha.
Alison Schapker serves as showrunner and executive producer. Diane Ademu-John, who is among those who departed early on, co-developed the series and is an executive producer. Anna Foerster executive produced and directed multiple episodes including the first. Jordan Goldberg, Mark Tobey, John Cameron, Matthew King, Scott Z. Burns, and Jon Spaihts executive produce with author Brian Herbert, along with Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert as executive producers for the Frank Herbert estate. Author Kevin J. Anderson serves as co-producer. Legendary is co-producer.
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