Frank Herbert’s big-screen adaptation Dune has opened to $40.1 million in the North American Box Office. Dune’s a great start for Warner Bros. since the pandemic has affected the industry and thus the release of several movies. Also, the production studio’s unusual strategy to release the movie in theaters and streaming platform HBO Max has affected the overall performance. This strategy might have also taken away a chunk of ticket sales for the movie.
Dune’s Collection Until Now
The movie has created a major milestone for the studio. The movie has received a three-day tally since Warner Bros. decided to implement it strategy. During the pandemic, in April, “Godzilla vs. Kong,” got $31 million holding the higher watermark. However, Dune has crossed this mark and made a substantial collection. Considering that Warner Bros, movies like The Suicide Squad, In the Heights, and Space Jam: A New Legacy didn’t impress the audience, Dune plays a major role for the studio.
At the international box office, Dune has collected $47.4 million. This includes the muted $21 million from the debut in China. This boosted the movie’s overseas collection to $180 million. Globally, the movie has collected up to $220 million.
Also, Dune’s ticket sales have been on the higher-end from the beginning. Moreover, the movie has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. This is in comparison to the previous version of the movie that didn’t impress the audience. Premium formats such as Imax, Dolby, and 4DX accounted for 50% of domestic ticket sales, with Imax alone contributing $9 million, or 22.5% of the market share. This is the studio’s largest weekend opening since the pandemic.
But will the ticket sales and collection be enough to justify a sequel?
Will Dune Get a Sequel?
The movie has a hefty investment of $165 million. Also, millions have been spent on the marketing of cinematic events. However, it is still unclear, whether ticket sales and collection will be enough to convince the studio to pump another $150 million for a sequel.
WarnerMedia chair Ann Sarnoff talked to Variety earlier this week. She said that the sequel plans will be put in motion based on “the entirety of what ‘Dune’ can do for the company, including HBO Max.” She also shares, “The story in itself sets up for a sequel. The production is so amazing and the storytelling is so compelling that it’s not going to be judged on box office alone.”
Will Dune get a sequel? We will definitely see in the future. Currently, you can watch the movie in your nearest theaters and on HBO Max.
Source: Variety
