Warner Bros.' “Dune: Part Two” easily made its way to the top of the domestic box office this weekend, grossing $81.5 million. and ensure the largest opening in 2024, according to estimates by the measurement firm Comscore.
The highly anticipated sequel to Denis Villeneuve's Oscar-winning sci-fi epic slightly surpassed early box office predictions, which projected an opening of between $70 million and $80 million in the United States and Canada.
Internationally, “Dune 2” launched with $97 million for a global cume of $178.5 million, according to studio estimates.
The futuristic blockbuster has given the domestic box office a desperately needed boost after a roughly four-month drought that has put pressure on exhibitors.
The last films to have such a good opening in North American theaters were “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” from AMC Theaters ($93.2 million) and “Five Nights at Freddy's” from Universal Pictures ($80 million), both released in October. And nothing has come close to matching “Barbie” ($162 million) levels of success since the famous doll-inspired comedy bowed to Universal’s “Oppenheimer” ($82.5 million) in July.
Before the arrival of “Dune 2,” domestic box office revenue was down 20% compared to 2023 and 40% compared to the pre-pandemic numbers exhibitors have been chasing since 2019. This weekend’s numbers dropped the year-over-year figure at 13%.
Movie theaters were still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic when Hollywood writers and actors went on strike last year, leading major studios to delay some of their biggest releases, including “Dune 2.” ”, which was previously scheduled for November 2023.
Rounding out the top three at the weekend's domestic box office were Paramount Pictures' “Bob Marley: One Love,” which grossed $7.4 million in its third film for a North American cume of $82.8 million. ; and Lionsgate's “Ordinary Angels,” which grossed $3.9 million in its second release for a North American total of $12.6 million.
“Dune 2,” based on the classic novel by Frank Herbert, stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya as warriors fighting to save the desert planet Arrakis from the brutal and exploitative Harkonnen. The supporting cast includes Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling and Florence Pugh.
Warner Bros. positioned “Dune 2” well for success.
Due to the delayed release, the film's star-studded cast was able to travel around the world to promote it, with Hollywood it-girl Zendaya and her impeccable red carpet fashion sense dominating social media.
A month before “Dune 2” hit theaters, the first “Dune” was briefly re-released in IMAX and screened alongside a teaser for the sequel that whetted appetites. Meanwhile, the official “Dune 2” popcorn bucket, inspired by the mouth of a sandworm native to Arrakis, went viral and even inspired a “Saturday Night Live” sketch for reasons that won't be described here. .
In another strategic move, the studio lifted the review embargo on “Dune 2” early, allowing critics to praise the film for more than a week before its debut. Consequently, the racy sequel earned a glowing 94% on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes and an A grade. from audiences surveyed by CinemaScore.
“Less an act of literary fidelity than of generosity, [Villeneuve’s] The sequel immerses us in the book's messianic prophecies, but also in spiritual uncertainty, cultural conflict and doubt, as it should,” writes Times film editor Joshua Rothkopf in his review.
“Villeneuve has hit one of Hollywood's big bets of recent times, delivering a two-part epic full of literary nuance, timely meaning and perhaps even the promise of one or two more films.”
Next weekend, Lionsgate’s “Imaginary,” Universal’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” and Angel Studios’ “Cabrini” will premiere.
