Denis Villeneuve’s Dune has scored quite a bit of Spice at the box office. The science fiction movie has managed the highest opening weekend returns for any of Warner Bros releases that have had day-and-date streaming availability.
Deadline has the figures, with Dune bringing in just over $40 million in theatrical earnings in the US for its first weekend. That makes it both Villeneuve’s strongest opening in the market, and the most takings of any movie that’s also been available on streaming service HBO Max at the same time as its original cinematic release. This success isn’t just in the United States either – Dune has taken over $87 million globally, for a combined box office of $220 million thus far.
Buzz has been strong for the adventure movie since it premiered in Venice in September. In her review for us, Steph Green called it “an astronomically impressive film”, and she hasn’t been alone in that sentiment. Positive reception, star-studded cast, and increasing vaccine rollout making it safer to go to the theatre has all coalesced for the picture.
Based on Frank Herbert’s novel of the same name, Dune follows a war between House Atreides and House Harkonnen over the planet Arrakis, and its Spice mines. An intense drug that allows for interstellar travel, Spice is a pricey commodity within the universe, to the point people are willing to risk being eaten by sandworms to get it.
Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and Zendaya are among the ensemble cast. In addition to directing, Villeneuve co-wrote the screenplay with Jon Spiahts and Eric Roth.
All those lovely ticket sales just begs the question – when are we getting the movie Dune 2? Nothing solid as of yet, but watch this space.