Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi spectacle, “Dune: Part Two,” (Dune 2) starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, has dazzled audiences and shattered box office records. The highly anticipated sequel soared to an extraordinary $81.5 million in its domestic opening weekend, doubling the success of its predecessor and securing its place as the biggest opening of 2024 so far.
Legendary’s gamble to expand the Dune franchise has paid off handsomely, with the film also dominating international markets. The global box office haul for “Dune 2” reached a staggering $178.5 million. Villeneuve’s latest creation is now on track to claim the title of the highest-grossing domestic movie of 2024 in just a matter of days.
Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya lead an A-list cast in the sequel, and the immense success of the opening weekend marks a significant milestone for both Villeneuve and Chalamet. The film’s storyline is centered around Paul Atreides (Chalamet) aligning with the Fremen people against colonizing forces on the desert planet Arrakis.
According to Warner Bros. Pictures, the domestic box office projections for the opening weekend are on a meteoric rise, reaching an estimated 3-day total of $81.5 million. This places “Dune: Part Two” as the second highest-grossing domestic movie of 2024, trailing only behind the music biopic “Bob Marley: One Love.”
The international success of the film is equally remarkable, with the sequel opening in 71 overseas markets, claiming the top spot in 67 of them. The movie’s global appeal is evident as it became the biggest launch of a Villeneuve movie in all markets and the top for Timothée Chalamet in 58, including major countries like France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Korea, and Australia.
IMAX audiences also contributed significantly to the film’s success, with “Dune: Part Two” grossing $32.2 million globally on 809 screens. The movie shot entirely with IMAX digital cameras, secured the biggest IMAX global weekend ever for a Warner Bros. film, ranking second overall in IMAX openings.
Paramount’s “Bob Marley: One Love” faced tough competition, dropping just 45 percent in its second weekend to $7.4 million, maintaining a strong domestic total of $82.8 million. Doubling the opening weekend figures of the original “Dune,” the sequel to comfortably secure a spot in the Top 10 highest-grossing movies of 2024.
