“Dune” wriggles into theaters, which are relying on blockbusters after the Hollywood strike slump
“I must not fear”… the $26 sandworm popcorn bucket. More than two years after “Dune: Part One,” moviegoers will head back to Arrakis on Friday for the premiere of part two. Warner Bros. Discovery’s sandy epic was supposed to hit theaters in November but got delayed after Hollywood strikes forced a promotion pause. Now the box office is sucking the dregs of moisture from its stillsuit, desperately in need of a Bene Gesserit boost.
Spicy: With an anticipated $60M to $80M opening weekend, “Dune”’s follow-up is poised to be the biggest movie of the year so far, which… isn’t saying much. US box-office sales are down 15% for the year, with two record-low weekends this month.
Streamless: Part one’s pandemic-era hybrid release was a success, grossing $402M. Considering the first “Dune” hit theaters and streamer Max at the same time, the sequel’s big-screen-only debut could give it an edge.
Heartbreak doesn’t feel good… The box office is struggling to pull its feet out of the sand after a six-month production pause during which striking writers and actors secured better pay and protections. Theaters have been recovering since pandemic shutdowns, but this year’s forecast is still gloomy. Analysts expect revenues to dip 5% from last year, and 20% versus the average gross of recent pre-Covid years.
Cue Nicole Kidman intro: AMC, which reports Wednesday, posted record Q3 revenue in November, boosted by “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” But it said strikes could make for a challenging year as studios catch up to production schedules.
Hollywood relies on FOMO… Films that become Zoom-meeting small talk sustain the industry. “Avatar: The Way of Water” has brought in $2.3B globally since its December 2022 release, while the #Barbenheimer duo has grossed over $2B. Premium showings (picture: gargantuan screens, seat-rattling speakers) of “Oppenheimer” and “Dune: Part One” gave folks an extra incentive to watch in theaters. “Oppenheimer” was Imax’s biggest earner last year, and more than half of the first “Dune”’s box-office revenue came from Imax and Dolby screenings.