Dune 2 Gets Release Changed Again But Fans Rejoice
Dune 2 is getting yet another shift in its release date, but this time the highly-anticipated sequel is actually getting moved up earlier on the calendar, according to The Hollywood Reporter. We’re not talking about a massive change in scheduling, however, as the new release date will be two weeks earlier, giving us a March 1, 2024 premiere. Hopefully this will be the last time that the film’s theatrical release will shuffle, and we can definitively mark our calendars.
Dune 2’s Release Moved Up Two Weeks
The release date for Dune 2 has been changed a number of times at this point, and for good reason. Originally slated for an October 23, 2023 release, the Dune sequel was then delayed until November 17, but only before being moved up to November 3 to adjust to changes in releases from other studios. Then the release date was pushed back to mid-2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike that lasted for 118 days, but was resolved just last week.
The Actors Can Promote The Film Again
When studios handle release dates for big-budget films, they want to make sure that they get return on their investment in the form of box office revenue. Given that Dune 2’s reported budget is over $120 million dollars, it was a smart move to move its premiere to May 2024, because SAG actors weren’t allowed to promote their work during the strike, which could have adversely affected ticket sales due to lack of exposure.
Now that Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and the rest of the Dune 2 cast can actively promote the film because the strike is over, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures can power up the hype-machine, and potentially move some serious units.
Dune Is Slated To Get A Third Film
Given that Denis Villeneuve wants to put out a third Dune movie, it’s of paramount importance that Dune 2 performs well at the box office. Economically speaking, a film has to be profitable in order to get green-lit for future installments, and the writer/director would very much like to put out a third film based on Dune Messiah, the second novel in the Frank Herbert series, before wrapping up the franchise.
Dune 2 Releasing On IMAX 70
The new release date for Dune 2 will also benefit theaters because it will fill the gap that Ryan Gosling‘s The Fall Guy created when its release date was moved from March 1 to May 3. So not only will fans of the Dune franchise rejoice over the fact that the upcoming movie is coming out two weeks earlier, but theaters will be relieved because they will be able to offer Dune 2 instead of having vacancies on their marquee.
Dune 2 will be available in premium formats upon its theatrical release, and will have at least a two-week run in IMAX 70 mm. Depending on what other films end up being slated for an early May 2024 release, its availability on the IMAX front could be longer if other studios don’t need the premium theaters for other upcoming features.
Dune Was A Cinematic Masterpiece When Released In 2021
Hopefully this will be the last time Dune 2 gets shuffled around. Villeneuve has gone on record stating that we have an epic war movie on our hands, and we’re ready to be awestruck by not only the action sequences, but more of the brilliant cinematography that the first film brought us in 2021.
