Although Dune is yet to be released, a sequel is already planned, and contrary to what was initially believed, the chances of the sequel happening don’t depend on Dune’s theatrical performance but on its time on streaming, showing the importance of these platforms nowadays. The coronavirus pandemic was a big shake-up to the entertainment industry too, with theaters all over the world forced to close temporarily and studios reorganizing their schedules, and one of the most anticipated movies which had to be delayed multiple times was Denis Villeneuve’s Dune.

Based on the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, Dune is an epic sci-fi movie and the first of a planned two-part adaptation given the richness of this universe. Set in the far future of humanity, Dune follows Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) who accepts the stewardship of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of a valuable substance that extends human life and more. Aware that it's a trap set by his enemies, he takes his concubine Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), his son and heir Paul (Timotheé Chalamet), and his trusted advisors with him, but a betrayal and the presence of giant sandworms further complicate everything. Like the rest of Warner Bros’ 2021 projects, Dune will have a simultaneous release in theaters and HBO Max, and while the future of the sequel depends on the first movie’s performance, it’s not about the theatrical release.

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In most cases, studios will wait to see how a movie performs in theaters and how much it makes at the box office before they can make a decision about a sequel, but even that has changed with the coronavirus pandemic. Although most theaters everywhere are now open and operating again, streaming services gained a lot of force during the pandemic as they became the main source of entertainment for the audience, and many studios sent their movies to these platforms so they could reach their audience and avoid being delayed further. The arrival of HBO Max made this easier for Warner Bros, who decided to give all its 2021 movies a simultaneous release in theaters and the platform, and in Dune’s case, the studio will measure its success through its performance on HBO Max rather than in theaters, showing how important streaming is now.

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While a movie like Dune was made for the experience of watching it in theaters, it has bigger chances of succeeding in streaming than on the big screen. Although people are starting to go back to theaters, Dune is almost guaranteed to fail at the box office and not because of its quality or lack of it, as seen with other recent releases, like James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, which got great reviews yet didn’t perform well on the box office, which is understandable in COVID times as most people aren't comfortable returning to theaters yet. The future of Dune, then, will reportedly depend on how it performs on streaming, where more people are likely to watch it and thus it’s more likely that the sequel is greenlit, and it’s also a big opportunity for the studio to gain more subscribers given the magnitude and popularity of the project. This also speaks volumes about the importance of streaming services now, and how these can benefit studios and their future projects in times where movies can't reach their full potential in theaters.

In addition to that, Dune already has a strong connection to HBO Max thanks to the spin-off TV series Dune: The Sisterhood, so its performance on the platform will be even more important for the future of the franchise. Warner Bros., HBO Max, and Dune are showing the importance of streaming services during and after the pandemic and the opportunities they bring, as well as a new way to measure the success of a movie and thus decide its future. Of course, Dune’s box office numbers will still be important, but they won’t be the decisive factor when it comes to greenlighting the sequel.

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