Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet in ‘Dune’
Warner Bros.
Well, that was fast. Legendary and Warner Bros. have officially announced that they are indeed making Dune part Two. The news came just days after the film’s pretty decent $41 million domestic debut, as well as $3.65 million Monday (-63% from Sunday) and $44.65 million four-day cume, for the much-discussed $165 million sci-fi flick. Denis Villeneuve will again return in the director’s chair, with a second film which will detail the second half of Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novel. Since Legendary put up 80% of the $165 million budget, with Warner Bros. fronting the rest, it was Legendary’s call. But why move so quickly? Well, more than anything else, it’s about creating the impression that Dune (review) is absolutely a success.
They think Dune part Two will perform better theatrically amid more conventional circumstances than Dune part I (which is still likely going to end up with $375 million-$405 million worldwide). Announcing a sequel creates the impression of success (think Jungle Cruise 2 and Cruella 2) and encourages folks to check out the movie without fear of ending on a cliffhanger. Legendary perhaps wants to put itself in a rosier position to get purchased by a conglomerate. Furthermore, whether or not Dune makes money theatrically is less of a concern as long as it’s perceived as a Covid-era theatrical success and/or a launching pad for HBO Max television shows. Absent that, it’d still be a slight disappointment in relation to cost.
The film’s $41 million domestic debut is better than the likes of Jupiter Ascending and Valerian and the City of A Thousand Planets but still on par with Tomorrowland and Power Rangers. That a $165 million-budgeted movie would be declared an unmitigated hit after earning about as much worldwide as The Mummy ($409 million), Edge of Tomorrow ($371 million) or even The Legend of Tarzan ($356 million) is either spin or a firm belief that it would have performed better in non-Covid circumstances. That may be correct, as even a 15% better opening weekend (around $47 million) would be on par with The Meg and Mad Max: Fury Road, both of which legged out to over/under $145 million domestic.
The good news is that history shows, think Breaking Dawn part II, Avengers: Endgame, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part II and all three Lord of the Rings movies, that if folks show up for and enjoy “part one of ?,” they’ll show up for “part two” in bigger numbers. With an A- from Cinemascore, mostly positive reviews, a likely place at the awards season table (and a few likely tech Oscar wins) and the current positive media coverage spinning Dune part I as the next Fellowship of the Ring, I’d probably have green-lit a second film too (it’s more useful as a complete adaptation versus half a movie). Although I would have waited to see the second-weekend hold.
Just because Legendary has announced a Dune sequel doesn’t mean we’re actually getting one, as folks waiting for Star Trek 4 (announced by Paramount days before Star Trek Beyond bombed with $338 million on a $185 million budget in summer 2016) can attest. Nor does this all mean that Dune part Two will be even as successful as its predecessor, as fans of Pacific Rim: Uprising ($290 million versus $411 million for Pacific Rim) can attest. That said, Dune part II will offer up more of the action-adventure components (think Quantum of Solace after Casino Royale), will actually co-star Zendaya (versus a cameo) and will open sans the HBO Max release and not in the middle of a pandemic.
At worst, it’ll negate concerns that franchise potential fell victim to helping HBO Max (see also: Wonder Woman 1984). Dune part Two, again starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and (no spoilers) whomever survived the first film, will open theatrically on October 20, 2023. That’s a week after Universal and Blumhouse’s first of a three-part mega-budget Exorcist trilogy which is intended as a kind of theaters/Peacock dual proposition. That’s ironic, or a peak at the future, whereby even successful theatrical franchises are backdoor pilots or pawns in the pursuit of streaming-friendly IP. Barring incredible legs, Dune part I won’t actually make money in raw theatrical revenue. But that we’re (for now) getting a sequel is a sign that it may not matter.
Denis Villeneuve Quote – “I just received news from Legendary that we are officially moving forward with Dune: Part Two. It was a dream of mine to adapt Frank Herbert’s DUNE and I have the fans, the cast, and crew, Legendary and Warner Bros. to thank for supporting this dream. This is only the beginning.”
Legendary Statement – “Legendary is pleased to officially move forward with Dune: Part Two…once again based on the amazing books written by Frank Herbert. We would not have gotten to this point without the extraordinary vision of Denis and the amazing work of his talented crew, the writers, our stellar cast, our partners at Warner Bros., and of course the fans! Here’s to more Dune.”
Toby Emmerich, Chairman Warner Bros. Pictures Group Quote- “Denis Villeneuve has crafted a film that is both visually extraordinary and emotionally transporting, as evidenced by its global success both critically and at the box office. We are thrilled to continue on this journey with Denis and his cast and crew, and our partners at Legendary, and can’t wait to bring the next chapter of this epic tale to theaters in October 2023.”
