A new report sheds light on where the release of Denis Villeneueve’s Dune: Part Two could land if the movie is delayed.
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two is slated for a November 3rd release, but there have been rumblings that the sequel could be bumped to 2024 depending on how long the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike lasts.
The first Dune movie was released during the height of the pandemic, with a day-and-date release in theaters and on HBO Max. Denis Villeneuve was unhappy with this choice, even worrying that it could kill the franchise before it even began. Thankfully, Dune was a box-office success, grossing $402 million and ensuring that Dune: Part Two would happen. But Legendary and Warner Bros. are clearly hoping that Dune: Part Two will be a bigger blockbuster, and if Timothée Chalamet (Wonka), Zendaya (Spider-Man: No Way Home), and the other stars can’t take part in the promotions, Deadline reports that they might just push the release of the film back.
At the moment, Dune: Part Two is sticking firm with its November release, with the studio taking a “wait-and-see” attitude. If the film does shift into 2024, there are several dates where it could land. Warner Bros. has several dates earmarked for other movies that the Dune sequel could slide into, including March 15th (currently home to the next MonsterVerse movie), April 19th, or June 21st. Deadline’s report states that Legendary has until September before they have to make a choice, but that all depends on when the strike will end.
Dune: Part Two will “explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.“
In addition to Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, the Dune sequel also stars Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One), Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame), Austin Butler (Elvis), Florence Pugh (Oppenheimer), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter), Léa Seydoux ( No Time to Die), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences), Stellan Skarsgård (Mamma Mia!), Charlotte Rampling (Assassin’s Creed), and Javier Barden (No Country for Old Men).