Sandworms emerge on the desert planet of Arrakis in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.
Warner Bros. | Legendary Entertainment
After a two-month drought, “Dune: Part Two” brought a much-welcomed deluge of ticket sales at the domestic box office — and its success could bring a third franchise film to theaters.
The Warner County. 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 for sore eyes across the theatrical floor and across Hollywood,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com.
Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic, the second in the Dune franchise, was boosted 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 advance sales for the film have been “really impressive” and that in many locations, tickets for IMAX screenings are not available until three weeks in advance.
“The lesson is that if you take a beautiful visual experience, a good story, and put it in the hands of a brilliant director with an IMAX camera, you’re going to get really good results,” Gelfond said.
Notably, the entirety of “Dune: Part Two” was shot on IMAX digital cameras.
Expectations from studio executives, theater owners and box office analysts are that the film will have a long queue at theaters and continue to garner strong ticket sales in the coming weeks. Similarly, said Gelfond, in by Universal “Oppenheimer” and by Disney “Avatar: The Way Of Water.”
Internationally, the film is expected to reach $97 million, bringing its worldwide total to $178.5 million. IMAX accounted for 18% of all international ticket sales, the company said. The film will premiere in China on March 8.
“I think this is a movie where you know word of mouth is going to take it,” Legendary Entertainment CEO Josh Grode told CNBC. “It’s an amazing piece of filmmaking. There’s no other way to put it. I’m just out of adjectives.”
Ground did not dismiss rumors of a possible third film in the franchise, noting that, “We have to have all the creative agencies aligned and support the vision.”
“I think everyone is really excited and really enjoying this moment and Dennis [Villeneuve] gets the script right and feels like it can deliver another experience on par with what we just completed, then I don’t see why not,” he said.
Timothee Chalamet stars as Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.
Warner Bros. | Legendary Entertainment
The strong opening for “Dune: Part Two” comes after the film was pulled from the 2023 film calendar because double strikes by Hollywood workers made it impossible for cast members to promote the film publicly.
Grodd noted that Legendary Entertainment struggled with the decision to move the film from its November schedule and to a new date in March. However, he felt that without a marketing campaign “that matched the film” the film might not reach as many viewers.
“Hindsight is always 2020, but I think it could absolutely be the right decision,” he said.
The film’s cast has been heavily promoting the film for weeks, participating in junkets, video interviews and appearing on late-night shows. Even the stars’ premiere outfits have made headlines, raising 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 | Getty Images
Along with industry veterans such as Christopher Walken, Stellan Skarsgard, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin and Dave Bautista, “Dune: Part Two” features four of the biggest young stars in Hollywood: Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler.
Heading into the weekend, the domestic box office had recorded less than $900 million in ticket sales in the first two months of the year, a drop of nearly 18 percent from the same period in 2023, according to Comscore data. An early-year boost could prove crucial for a box office still struggling to claim $10 billion in domestic annual ticket sales, a sign last seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In any given year at the box office there is an inflection point, and the 2024 debut of ‘Dune: Part Two’ represents a milestone in a year without blockbuster-sized offerings,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “The ’24 box office 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 theaters.”
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal distributed “Oppenheimer.”