“Dune” opens at $ 40 million at the box office. Strong enough for a sequel?

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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 24 (Variety.com) – “Dune,” an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic, opened for $ 40.1 million at the North American box office. It’s a respectable start given the ongoing pandemic and the film’s unconventional theatrical debut. In addition to screening 4,125 national theaters, “Dune” (like all Warner Bros. films in 2021) premiered simultaneously on HBO Max, which may have reduced a portion of total ticket sales.

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In a milestone for the studio, “Dune” scored the highest three-day tally for Warner Bros. since the company began its day-and-date strategy on HBO Max. “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which hit a pandemic record of $ 31 million in April, previously had that high mark. In the intervening months, anticipated movies like “The Suicide Squad,” LeBron James’ sports comedy “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” and the musical adaptation of “In the Heights” fell short of box office expectations while on offer. simultaneously on HBO Max.

“I’m smiling,” Warner Bros. President of National Distribution Jeff Goldstein said Sunday morning. “The exhibitors are delighted. The best part is that fans love what they see. They love the big screen experience. It has been a winner of a weekend for movie lovers. “

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Directed by Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve (“Blade Runner 2049” and “Arrival”) and starring Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac and Josh Brolin, “Dune” is the first chapter in a long-awaited two-part saga. Villeneuve and the film’s cast have said they would like to follow up to complete the story about warring political dynasties clashing over access to a vital planet. The question now: will the start of ticket sales be enough to justify a sequel? Given the film’s hefty $ 165 million price tag, including the millions spent to market it as a cinematic event, it’s unclear whether the box office proceeds alone will be enough to guarantee a return to the desert land of Arrakis. In that case, “Dune” will have to do very well on HBO Max to convince the studio that it should pump in another $ 165 million to complete the star-studded interplanetary story. Legendary Pictures co-financed “Dune” in addition to producing and developing the film.

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In an interview with Variety this week, WarnerMedia president Ann Sarnoff said plans for the sequel will be based on “the totality of what ‘Dune’ can do for the company, including HBO Max.” He added: “The story itself is preparing for a sequel. The production is so amazing and the storytelling is so compelling that it won’t be judged by the box office alone. “

Avid fans of Herbert’s seminal 1965 novel searched for “Dune” on the biggest screen possible, with premium formats like Imax, Dolby and 4DX accounting for 50% of domestic ticket sales. Imax only contributed $ 9 million, representing 22.5% of the market share, marking the company’s largest opening weekend since the pandemic.

Also new in theaters this weekend, Disney’s animated adventure “Ron’s Gone Wrong” grossed $ 7.3 million from 3,560 theaters in North America. The family film, centered on Barney, a socially awkward high school student and his malfunctioning robot friend (Zach Galifianakis), has been well received by audiences (he has an “A” CinemaScore), which could be a promising sign for its theatrical performance. Despite running only in theaters, “Ron’s Gone Wrong” ranked fifth on the box office charts behind the remaining titles “Halloween Kills,” the James Bond entry “No Time to Die,” and the comic book adaptation “Venom. : Let There Be Carnage “.

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In a distant second, Universal’s slasher sequel “Halloween Kill” grossed $ 14 million in its second weekend in theaters, plummeting 71% since its release. It has generated $ 73 million in North America to date, a win for the horror film on a budget of $ 20 million. The studio has already announced that franchise star Jamie Lee Curtis will return for the sequel to “Halloween Ends,” scheduled for October 14, 2022.

MGM’s “No Time to Die” came in third with $ 11.8 million, increasing its national total to $ 120 million. Sony’s “Venom” sequel secured fourth place, grossing $ 9.1 million between Friday and Sunday. After four weeks, the anti-hero adventure, starring Tom Hardy, has grossed $ 181 million.