Dune could still play in theaters exclusively after all, with Warner Bros. and Legendary still undecided about the film's release plan. The highly anticipated adaptation of Frank Herbert's seminal sci-fi novel has faced a long road to theaters like most blockbusters that were originally slated to be released in 2020. Dune was originally scheduled to hit theaters on December 18 when WB made the last minute decision to push the film back to October 2, 2021, with the film zeroing in on The Batman's release date and pushing that film into 2022.
When Warner Bros. controversially announced that their entire 2021 slate would be hitting theaters and HBO Max, Dune was included in that list, but Legendary has pushed back against this with a potential lawsuit. So has director Denis Villeneuve, with both advocating for an exclusive theatrical release that could give Dune that best chance of launching what is potentially a massive franchise. Talk on the lawsuit front had died down in recent months, but it seems like both studios are still hard at work trying to figure out what to do with one of 2021's biggest blockbusters.
Deadline reports that Legendary and Warner Bros. are still unsure of whether or not Dune will go to HBO Max. Legendary is still negotiating for an exclusive theatrical release, but this has not stopped the streamer from promoting the film as part of their high-profile line-up.
Legendary has another ace in their pocket with the recent box office performance of Godzilla vs Kong, the other franchise the studio produces alongside Warner Bros. That film broke records this week to become one of the highest grossing films since the onset of the pandemic and netted the biggest opening weekend of any studio film since March 2020. This will only serve to help Legendary in convincing Warner Bros. that Dune could perform well as an exclusive theatrical release, especially by the time October rolls around and even more vaccines have been given out.
Still, Godzilla vs Kong's performance also proves that a film can perform well at the box office while still being released on HBO Max. It will all depend on whether or not Warner Bros. wants to go that extra mile and push for as much box office impact as possible. With Dune only covering the first half of the original novel, Warner Bros. may want to release the film exclusively after all. The studio is also producing a spinoff series for HBO Max, Dune: The Sisterhood and with multiple books in the Dune series, there is huge potential for a years long franchise. Luckily for WB and Legendary, they still have a few months to decide.
Source: Deadline
