The long-awaited “Dune: Part Two” enthralled global audiences this weekend, earning a massive $178.5 million globally. Mere days after opening Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi spectacle has already become the highest-grossing movie of this year so far, signaling a turning point for struggling cinemas.
In North America, the film topped the box office with $81.5 million across 4,071 theaters. Strong reviews and positive audience scores fueled momentum, with men making up 59 percent of the audience and people over 25 making up 64 percent.
“Denis made a really extraordinary and special film and its been really exciting to see people respond,” Mary Parent, a producer on both “Dune” films, said. “It was made for the big screen and it feels like it’s being received as a cinematic event.”
The debut also set new highs for stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya alongside director Villeneuve. Overseas, many regions smashed prior benchmarks as well, confirmed Parent: “It really captured the marketplace.”
After recent box office droughts, theaters desperately needed an attention-grabbing hit. The heavily promoted “Dune” sequel arrived as the first 2024 film to pass $100 million domestically, dominating screens.
Its early October release was postponed due to Hollywood strikes preventing cast participation in publicity tours. But the months-long hype cycle ultimately fueled anticipated globally once allowed to proceed.
“You don’t make movie stars any place other than theaters,” Warner Bros. distribution president Jeff Goldstein said. “Cinemas, on the big screen with the big sound and that shared experience makes a big star, or show the talent of a big star anyway.”
The original “Dune” likewise impressed in October 2021 despite streaming simultaneously. Villeneuve’s name now attracts crowds on par with celebrity director Christopher Nolan, box office analysts say.
“Denis Villeneuve is up there with Christopher Nolan as a filmmaker whose name alone inspires people to go to the movie theater,” Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore, said.
Meanwhile, vibrant social media chatter around cast fashion reveals suggests the film’s cultural dominance will extend long beyond opening weekend. Propelled by its sandworms and celebrities, “Dune: Part Two” should enjoy epic box office legs if momentum persists.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Dune: Part Two,” $81.5 million.
2. “Bob Marley: One Love,” $7.4 million.
3. “Ordinary Angels,” $3.9 million.
4. “Madame Web,” $3.2 million.
5. “The Chosen: Season 4, Episodes 7-8,” $3.2 million.
6. “Migration, $2.5 million.
7. “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Hashi,” $2.1 million.
8. “Wonka,” $1.7 million.
9. “Argylle,” $1.4 million.
10. “The Beekeeper,” $1.1 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.