Aside from very strong reviews (you can read /Film’s official review right here), much of the success can be owed to the response to the first film, as well as the stacked cast that includes both rising and well-tested stars. For a movie based on challenging source material that asks a lot of the audience and was by no means a surefire bet out of the gate, it’s hard to imagine things working out better for all involved. This truly feels like a best-case scenario.
Even if the movie didn’t make another dime, $500 million worldwide against a $190 million budget is good enough to eventually get the film into profits. More than that, it’s also probably going to secure some Oscar nominations next year, which will only make it more of a win for both WB and Legendary. At this point, it’s all but assured that the movie will top $600 million worldwide. That means Chalamet will have two $600 million hits to his name in just a few months, as “Wonka” also surpassed that in ticket sales several weeks back. He’s an unquestioned A-lister.
The first film topped out at just over $400 million in its original run, with a recent re-release to hype up the sequel taking in north of $30 million worldwide. That speaks volumes about how the audience has only grown since the first entry hit theaters and HBO Max simultaneously in 2021, and it also bodes well for those who want to see Villeneuve return to make “Dune Messiah” in a few years.
“Dune: Part Two” is in theaters now.
