Denis Villeneuve's Dune took the number one spot at the box office for a second weekend in a row. Seen as the redemption for David Lynch's doomed Dune adaptation, the 2021 movie follows the story of Paul Atreides and his family's war on the desert planet Arrakis over the coveted spice that allows for interstellar travel. The film has been seen as another revitalizer of the domestic box office following the COVID-19 pandemic, with audiences returning to theaters to experience the film's scale on the big screen.
With Dune's simultaneous release on HBO Max, Villeneuve has been one of several artists to criticize Warner Bros. for not allowing the film a theatrical only release. Still, the streaming release did not stop Dune from topping the box office in its opening weekend with a total haul of $40.1 million, a career best for Villeneuve. The film was also poised to take the top spot once again on what looks to be a slow weekend for moviegoing due to the Halloween holiday.
Per Deadline, Dune took the top spot once again, raking in $15.5 million, down 62% from its opening weekend. Vileneuve's adaptation of the Frank Herbert novel of the same name has grossed a total of $69.4 million at the domestic box offic and was streamed in over 2 million households on HBO Max. This week also saw the release of My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission, Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho, and Scott Cooper's Antlers, which grossed $6.4 million for the former, and $4.16 for the latter two.
Dune has also been successful in international markets, grossing a total of $292 million, putting it on track to break $300 million. This success has already Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures to greenlight Dune 2, releasing in October 2023. A key part of negotiations was Villeneuve's insistence that the second part have an exclusive theatrical release, something Warner Bros. likely agreed to with no hesitation, ensuring the second film may score even bigger at the box office. By 2023, theaters could be returning to pre-pandemic attendance levels.
Dune has been praised for its ambition and scope, drawing comparisons to Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings. Though criticized by some for its pacing and handling of the source material, Dune is a reminder of the power of cinema. After a year and a half of being unable to enjoy movies in the purest way possible, it's good to see audiences return to the big screen, even if it's a gradual process.
Source: Deadline