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It’s been two months since Dune Part 2 took the box office by storm. The film has grossed $711 million worldwide, and still remains the number one movie of the year. While many would consider this a sizable accomplishment for director Denis Villeneuve and the Dune 2 team, the filmmaker recently expressed disappointment at Dune’s ability to hold the leading spot, and what it means for the worldwide box office as a whole.
The Disappointing 2024 Box Office Returns (So Far)
According to a recent report by Deadline, the box office this year is down 66% domestically from the box office totals last year. Expected big blockbuster hits like Mad Max: Furiosa and The Fall Guy ended up not soaring to the expected heights, falling short of predictions. Furiosa barely edged out The Garfield Movie in its opening weekend, with each opening at $25 million and $24 million, respectively. The memorial day weekend showing was incredibly disappointing, and it doesn’t look to be improving much for weekend number 2. Nothing has yet come close to catching Dune: Part 2’s $711 million gross, as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire trails in second place at $567M.
The reasoning for low box office turnout could be a number of factors. The 2023 Writers Strike and Actors Strike severely impacted the titles heading to the theaters in 2024, and many movie releases this year are relying on existing IP for turnout. Streaming continues to also be a force, with audiences opting to wait for home releases instead of attending movie theaters. As of recently, a movie has to feel like an event to attract an audience at the cinema, and it seems this year only Dune Part 2 has obtained that hype, at least at the time of this writing.
Denis Villeneuve’s Thoughts On Dune Part 2 Remaining No. 1
Denis Villenueve commented on his feelings towards Dune Part 2 continuing to reign financially in 2024, and while he was grateful that Dune Part 2 received the love that it did, he wasn’t happy for what that meant for theatrical releases in general. While being honored at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards, he said (via Deadline):
[I’m] disappointed to still be number one. … I hope soon that there will be other successes at the box office. I hope, sooner or later, that this summer box office will be much better.
While the summer box office has less than ideal so far, all hope should not be lost. Deadpool and Wolverine is expected to perform very well, considering it will be the only MCU film released this year, and the immense fan base surrounding the Deadpool character. Twisters, Inside Out 2, A Quiet Place: Day One, and Alien: Romulus will also be vying for box office success this summer and hopefully will win over the public.
Whether or not Dune 2 will remain number one throughout the year is questionable, but it seems like Villeneuve is rooting to be overtaken. He expressed the importance of box office turnout for the continuation of the theatrical experience, saying:
I think we need movies that are theatrical experiences, that will fully embrace the power of the theatre, and I’m not just talking about Dune 2. Of course I’m talking about many movies. A movie like Civil War, for instance, is a strong example of a movie that absolutely used the power of the theatre. I was lucky that Part 2 did reach the audience, I wish it would happen more often, honestly.
Even with box office being low, Villenueve acknowledging Civil War’s success is significant. The Alex Garland-directed film has been a steady box office presence throughout its theatrical run, grossing $113 million worldwide against a $50 million budget. This is an accomplishment for the mid-budget film, and broke records for A24. 2024 might not be the year of the blockbuster, but it could be a time for mid budget theatrical experiences. On the other hand, one can not deny Dune Part 2’s sheer dominance, bringing into question which franchises remain profitable for studios.
Dune Part 2 is currently available to stream for Max subscribers. There are also many more exciting projects heading to the cinemas this year, so make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule for more information.