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‘Dune 2’ Aims for Blockbuster Glory: How a Strike Delay, Imax and ‘Oppenheimer’ Success Can Boost Denis Villeneuve’s Sequel
By moving to spring, "Dune: Part Two" could revive a barren box office.
Back in August 2023, as two labor strikes were roiling Hollywood and preventing stars from promoting blockbusters, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures decided to postpone the release of “ Dune: Part Two.” The studios feared that without Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya on the press circuit, the big-budget science fiction sequel wouldn’t live up to its box office potential on its initial November date. Analysts believe it’ll benefit from a perfect (desert) storm: pent-up demand for a blockbuster, a healthy dose of star power — Austin Butler and Florence Pugh join the already buzzy cast — and a renewed appreciation for Imax. In the time since moviegoers first ventured to the desert planet of Arrakis, Chalamet has only cemented his star power with Warner’s fantasy musical “Wonka.” It just crossed the $600 million mark globally, thanks in no small part to the actor who dons the top hat.
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