Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic Dune is finally here and is already leaving its mark on the box office. There was worry that the film being released to watch on HBO Max at the same time it premieres in theaters would affect its box office performance and its prospects for a sequel, but things are looking very positive on both fronts. The pre-sales for Dune outperformed Marvel and James Bond ahead of its opening weekend and has reportedly done very well on its opening night. Dune made a ton of money on Thursday night, so bring on the sequel.
Deadline reports that Dune made a little over $5 million from its Thursday showtimes with projections that indicate a huge opening weekend. The opening night showtimes outperformed Halloween Kills opening night numbers, and that’s an encouraging sign as Halloween Kills went on to make over $50 million. The new Halloween movies performance is also a good sign as it also premiered on a streaming service for free to subscribers in the same way Dune was released on HBO Max.
All the signs are pointing to a great domestic weekend for Dune. Combined with the international numbers that will add to its total box office intake, the film should be seen as a definite success and will hopefully be enough for the continuation of Denis Villeneuve’s vision. There is definitely still a wait-and-see approach the studio is using, but fans may not need to be worried. The sequel is seemingly all-but-confirmed after a Warner Bros. executive releasing a puzzling but optimistic take on the prospect of a sequel.
To also note, Director Denis Villeneuve has been adamant about the film needing a sequel and he already has a third movie mapped out. Dune star Javier Bardem is invested in getting a sequel made, and everyone involved is committed to continuing the story and finishing what they started. After seeing the film, many fans will want more from its stars and the beautifully crafted desert world of Arrakis.
The movie is being marketed as the next Stars Wars or Lord of The Rings, drilling into its audience’s head that this is a saga and the movie is only the first part. There is plenty left on the table, narratively, which indicates an even more epic and action-packed continuation. The prospect of seeing more of stars like Zendaya, Javier Bardem, and Timothy Chalamet is also enticing.
Denis Villeneuve’s film is big, in scope and length, and there was probably a lot left on the cutting floor, and he has spoken about the one scene he had to cut that is still “painful.” Dune is available on HBO Max until November 21st and is in theaters everywhere, and well worth seeing, and worthy of its epic status.
