Sandworms emerge on the desert planet Arrakis in Denis Villeneuve's “Dune: Part Two.”
Warner Bros. | Legendary entertainment
After a two-month drought, “Dune: Part Two” has generated a welcome rush of ticket sales at the domestic box office, and its success could bring a third film in the franchise to theaters.
He Warner Bros. and the Legendary Entertainment film opened with an estimated $81.5 million at the box office, the highest of any film released so far in 2024.
“Like an oasis in the desert, 'Dune: Part Two' is a sight to behold throughout the theatrical run and throughout Hollywood,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com.
Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic, the second in the Dune franchise, was powered by IMAX ticket sales, which accounted for about 23% of domestic ticket sales, or $18.5 million.
“The only reason it wasn't higher is because we ran out of seats,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX.
Gelfond noted that pre-sales for the film were “really impressive” and that in many places, tickets for IMAX screenings are not available for three weeks.
“The lesson is that if you take a beautiful visual experience, a good story, and put it in the hands of a brilliant filmmaker with an IMAX camera, you're going to get very good results,” Gelfond said.
Notably, the entirety of “Dune: Part Two” was filmed with IMAX digital cameras.
Expectations from studio executives, theater owners and box office analysts are that the film will have a long line in theaters and continue to see strong ticket sales in the coming weeks. Similar, Gelfond said, to universal “Oppenheimer” and disney “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
Internationally, the film is expected to gross $97 million, bringing its global gross to $178.5 million. IMAX accounted for 18% of all international ticket sales, the company said. The film will debut in China on March 8.
“I think this is a movie where you know word of mouth is going to spread,” Josh Grode, CEO of Legendary Entertainment, told CNBC. “It's a wonderful piece of cinema. There's no other way to say it. I've almost run out of adjectives.”
Grode did not rule out rumors about a possible third film in the franchise, noting that “we have to have all the creative stakeholders aligned and support the vision.”
“I think everyone is very excited and enjoying this moment a lot and if Denis [Villeneuve] “If you understand the script well and feel like you can deliver another experience on par with what we just completed, I don't see why not,” he said.
Timothee Chalamet plays Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve's “Dune: Part Two.”
Warner Bros. | Legendary entertainment
The strong start to “Dune: Part Two” comes after the film was removed from the 2023 film calendar because Hollywood's double labor strikes made it impossible for cast members to promote the film publicly.
Grode noted that Legendary Entertainment struggled with the decision to move the film from its November schedule to a new date in March. However, he felt that without a marketing campaign “to match the film,” the film might not reach as many viewers.
“In hindsight, it's always 2020, but I think it can absolutely be the right decision,” he said.
The film's cast has been heavily promoting the film for weeks, participating in road trips, video interviews, and appearing on late-night shows. Even the stars' premiere outfits have been making headlines, raising more awareness for the film's release.
Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya attend the world premiere of “Dune: Part Two” at Leicester Square in London, England on February 15, 2024.
Gareth Cattermole | Getty Images Entertainment | fake images
Joining industry veterans like Christopher Walken, Stellan Skarsgard, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin and Dave Bautista, “Dune: Part Two” features four of Hollywood's biggest young stars: Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler .
Heading into the weekend, the domestic box office had totaled less than $900 million in ticket sales through the first two months of the year, a drop of nearly 18% from the same period in 2023, according to Comscore data. A boost early in the year could prove critical for a box office still struggling to recoup $10 billion in annual domestic ticket sales, a mark last seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In any box office year there is a turning point and in 2024 the debut of 'Dune: Part Two' represents a milestone in a year devoid of large offerings,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “The '24 box office year officially kicked off this weekend two months late and not a moment too soon and will help build much-needed momentum for March and beyond for movie theaters.”
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal distributed “Oppenheimer.”
