Film theaters have been on the lookout for a savoir and “ Dune: Half Two ” is delivering on the promise. Armed with sandworms, huge display screen spectacle and the star energy of Timothée Chalamet, Denis Villeneuve’s science fiction epic stormed the North American field workplace this weekend incomes $81.5 million in ticket gross sales, in response to studio estimates Sunday.
It’s the primary main hit of 2024, and one which was sorely wanted by exhibitors. Though there have been holdovers from December which have continued to earn, like Warner Bros.’ “ Wonka ” (additionally starring Chalamet) and Sony’s romantic comedy “Anybody However You,” the field workplace is in a little bit of a drought. Within the first two months of 2024, no movies have crossed $100 million domestically. The best incomes motion pictures have been “The Beekeeper,” “Bob Marley: One Love” and “Imply Women.”
“Dune 2″ rode a wave of nice opinions (94% on Rotten Tomatoes) right into a market that was basically freed from competitors. Warner Bros. launched it in 4,071 areas within the U.S. and Canada, the place audiences throughout the board gave it the best PostTrak marks and an A CinemaScore. In keeping with exit knowledge, males accounted for 59% of opening weekend ticket patrons and 64% have been over the age of 25. The sequel was primarily financed by Legendary.
Premium massive format screens like IMAX and 70mm accounted for 48% of the opening weekend enterprise. It marked a March file for IMAX, which made up $18.5 million of the general take. The $81.5 million debut is a file for Villeneuve, Chalamet, Austin Butler and Rebecca Ferguson.
Initially deliberate for an October 2023 launch, Warner Bros. bumped the film to March amid the Hollywood strikes that will have prevented its starry solid from doing the promotional circuit. The worldwide promo tour has been on hyperdrive for a few month, driving conversations with buzzy interviews, the viral sandworm-inspired popcorn bucket and eye-popping vogue moments from the fashionable younger solid – peaking with Zendaya’s silver cyborg showstopper (classic Mugler) in London. They’ve made stops in Mexico Metropolis, South Korea, Abu Dhabi and New York Metropolis.
The primary “ Dune ” opened underneath sophisticated situations in October 2021. It was one of many final movies of Warner Bros.’ divisive plan to concurrently debut its main motion pictures in theaters and on its streaming platform. And but it nonetheless earned over $40 million in its first weekend and went on to gross over $400 million worldwide.
Lindsey Bahr, The Related Press
