The ongoing strikes have already delayed several films and TV shows in the past few weeks. However, there's one project that is standing firm by its intended November release. Dune: Part II appears to be sticking to its announced premiere and Denis Villeneuve is the one who made it impossible for Warner Bros. to change the release date.
Dune: Part 2 is a sequel that just had to happen. After the 2021 film's box office success, the second movie was greenlit and immediately began filming in 2022. In addition to that, Denis Villeneuve devised ways for the film to get a full theatrical release that will in no way be delayed even when all the writers and actors are on strike.
The intel comes from IMAX Chief Executive Officer Richard Gelfond who recently spoke to The Direct in an IMAX earnings call. When asked about Dune: Part 2 possibly being pushed back to a later release date, Gelfond pointed out that he is confident that Warner Bros. will not delay the film.
"In terms of [Dune], my own opinion is that it's highly unlikely to move, and it's an educated opinion, meaning I spent a lot of time on the facts," he said.
Gelfond then revealed that Denis Villeneuve himself delivered a presentation promising the sequel's upcoming box office haul.
"As a matter of fact, Denis Villeneuve presented at the IMAX CEO Forum. So, it's kind of out of the gate," he said. "So, if you put it back in the game, you've got to duplicate those expenses at some time in the future putting it out of the gate. In addition, Dune has a very long run time in IMAX, up to five or six weeks."
It's not a huge surprise that Villeneuve is determined for Dune: Part 2 to stick to its schedule and get an IMAX release. After all, the 2021 film was plagued with multiple delays due to COVID-19, ultimately forcing Warner Bros. to give it a dual release in theaters and on HBO Max. This was something Villeneuve was not happy about since he believed the movie was best experienced in the cinema. With that in mind, Villeneuve learned from past mistakes and will not budge with the sequel.
Dune: Part 2 will star Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem. It is currently scheduled for release on November 3, 2023.
