‘Dune’ Fans Forced to Wait Two Years Until Sequel Release
‘Dune’ Fans Forced to Wait Two Years Until Sequel Release
(Bloomberg) -- Fans of the box-office topping sci-fi movie “Dune” will have to wait two years for the next installment, with the sequel set to be released in October 2023.
Production company Legendary Entertainment, owned by Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group Co., announced “Dune Part Two” in a tweet Wednesday. The sequel is scheduled to be released in October 2023, U.S. media including the Hollywood Reporter said, citing a statement from Legendary and Warner Bros.
Starring Academy Award-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet and Emmy Award winner Zendaya, “Dune” took the No. 1 spot in U.S. and Canadian theaters on the weekend with $41 million in ticket sales. It has grossed $223 million worldwide, ranking it 13th in global box office this year, according to industry tracking platform Box Office Mojo.
The film, which tells the story of a young aristocrat trying to maintain order on an inhospitable desert planet, is based on a 1965 novel by Frank Herbert and was directed by Denis Villeneuve, whose credits include “Blade Runner 2049.”
An earlier film version of “Dune,” released in 1984 and featuring Sting and Kyle MacLachlan in his first big-screen role, is considered one of the industry’s more notorious bombs.
Not including marketing, “Dune” had a budget of $165 million, financed largely by Legendary. It’s one of only a few films in recent months to also get a release date in China amid pandemic-induced cinema closures, rising nationalism against foreign brands and more scrutiny of imported films.
In China, the film has generated 165 million yuan ($25.8 million) in box office revenue since opening Oct. 22, ranking it 39th among all releases in the country this year. The best performing Hollywood title in the country so far is “F9: The Fast Saga,” which has taken 1.4 billion yuan in ticket sales.
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