The cinematic journey of Paul Atreides, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, in “Dune: Part Two” has experienced a postponement, with the new release date set for March 15, 2024.
This shift was formally announced by Warner Bros. on last Thursday, confirming rumors reported exclusively by Variety last month that a 2024 release was under consideration for the sci-fi blockbuster. Legendary Entertainment, who co-produced the film with Warner Bros. Film Group, was also involved in the decision-making process to finalize the new release date.
As a result of this delay, the release of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” originally scheduled for March 14, has been moved to April 12. This film, the newest installment in the Monsterverse franchise, is another collaboration between Legendary and Warner Bros.
The decision to delay “Dune” comes amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which have implications for the promotion of affected films. With the SAG-AFTRA strike in place, the celebrated cast of “Dune” would have been prevented from participating in press events for the film.
IMAX is not anticipated to be adversely affected by the delay, with forthcoming titles like “The Equalizer 3,” “Wonka,” and “The Marvels” expected to maintain their planned release dates. Both Warner Bros. and Legendaryare optimistic that the spring break and Easter holiday periods will provide a favorable opportunity for the titles to flourish at the box office.
The ensemble cast of “Dune: Part Two” features an array of talented actors, including Zendaya, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Lea Seydoux, and others.
Warner Bros. is not the only studio grappling with potential delays to 2024; the release of “The Color Purple” (Dec. 25) and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” (Dec. 20) was also considered. However, these films are still slated for December releases. Sony, too, has faced similar challenges, having recently pushed back “Kraven the Hunter” and a “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” sequel to 2024, as well as removing “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” from its release calendar. Notably, “Dune: Part Two” is not the only film starring Zendaya to be delayed; MGM‘s “Challengers,” a tennis-themed drama also featuring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor, has been moved to next year.
Source: Variety
