Movie theaters were in need of a savior. Dune: Part 2 'The promise has been fulfilled. Equipped with a sandworm, big screen spectacle and star power Timothée Chalamet, Denis Villeneuve The sci-fi blockbuster smashed the North American box office this weekend, earning $81.5 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
Internationally, it grossed $97 million, and its world premiere grossed $178.5 million.
„Dennis has made a truly extraordinary and special film, and we're really excited to see people's reactions,“ said Mary, producer of both Dune films and Legendary's Worldwide Production Chairman. Parent said. “It feels like it was made for the big screen and is being embraced as a cinematic event.”
This is the first blockbuster of 2024 and something our exhibitors desperately needed. There are some holdovers, like Warner Bros., that have continued to make money since December. ” “ Wonka '' (also starring Chalamet) and Sony's romantic comedy „Anyone But You'', box office sales have been somewhat weak. In his first two months of 2024, none of his films topped $100 million domestically. The highest-earning films are „The Beekeeper,“ „Bob Marley: One Love,“ and „Mean Girls.“
“Dune 2” rode a wave of stellar reviews (94% on Rotten Tomatoes) into an essentially uncompetitive market. Warner Bros. released the film in 4,071 locations in the United States and Canada, earning it the highest PostTrak mark and A CinemaScore for audiences across the board. According to exit data, 59% of weekend opening ticket buyers were male and 64% were over 25 years old. The sequel is being primarily financed by Legendary, with a previously reported production cost closer to the $122 million range. 190 million dollars.
„This really captured the market,“ said Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. “This is a cultural moment globally.”
Premium large screens such as IMAX and 70mm accounted for 48% of business in the opening weekend. This marked a March record for IMAX, accounting for $18.5 million of the overall box office receipts. Villeneuve shot the film using IMAX cameras. Unlike “ oppenheimer' was shot digitally but had additional time with strike delay I was also able to make film prints. And the film format has proven to be a hit with viewers.
“Our most iconic movie locations have been sold out for virtually weeks,” said IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond.
The $81.5 million debut is also a record for Villeneuve and stars Chalamet, Austin Butler, and Rebecca. ferguson.
Originally scheduled for release in October 2023, Warner Bros. postponed the film's release to March amid the uproar. hollywood strike That way, the star cast would not have been able to do any promotional work. Global promotions put her tour into hyperdrive for about a month, fueling conversation with high-profile interviews. Popcorn bucket inspired by a virus sandworm Eye-popping fashion moments from a stylish young cast – The Peak is Zendaya's Silver Cyborg showstopper (Vintage Mugler) in London. They also made stops in Mexico City, South Korea, Abu Dhabi and New York City.
„We worked hard to prepare for that (original) day, but we felt strongly that it was worth the wait, especially because of this amazing cast,“ Parent said.
Goldstein added that there was „a lot of discussion“ about whether to release it during the strike, but that he knew he needed a cast to „fully realize the movie.“
„You don't make movie stars anywhere but in the theater,“ Goldstein said. “In movie theaters, you have big screens, big sounds, and that shared experience creates big stars, or just showcases the talent of big stars.”
first “ dunes ' was released in October 2021 under complicated circumstances. This was one of Warner Bros.' last films. It's a controversial plan to release major movies simultaneously in theaters and on streaming platforms.Still, we made more money than that. $40 million in first weekend It grossed over $400 million worldwide.
„Denis Villeneuve ranks alongside Christopher Nolan as a director whose name alone makes you want to go to the theater,“ said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at comScore.
This weekend „will move the needle in a big way,“ he added.
Going into the weekend, box office receipts were down about 20% from the same point last year (at the time, 2022 release Avatar: The Way of Water improved everything). The closest thing to this this year is „Wonka,“ which is still a hit but not as big as „Avatar 2.“ After „Dune“ weekend, the deficit will be closer to 13%.
„This shows how important one movie is to the health of the entire industry,“ Dergarabedian said. „But this is not a one-hit wonder in March. It's a business with momentum. Now we're going to get the wind back in our sails for March, April and the summer movie season.“
Warner Bros. will release „Godzilla x Kong'' at the end of March, „Furiosa'' in May, „Beetlejuice'' sequel in September, and „Joker'' sequel in October.
„This is our year,“ Goldstein said. “Exhibitors are fighting for their lives, but we can work wisely with them to keep our businesses relevant to our audiences.”
Estimated ticket sales from Friday through Sunday in U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Final national figures will be released on Monday.
1. “Dune: Part 2,” $81.5 million.
2. “Bob Marley: One Love,” $7.4 million.
3. “Ordinary Angels,” $3.9 million.
4. “Madame Web,” $3.2 million.
5. “The Chosen: Season 4, Episodes 7-8,” $3.2 million.
6. “Immigration, $2.5 million.
7. “Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Bridge,” $2.1 million.
8. “Wonka,” $1.7 million.
9. “Argyle,” $1.4 million.
10. “The Beekeeper,” $1.1 million.