‘Dune: Part Two’ may be pushed back a year due to strikes
Dune: Part Two, the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 Frank Herbert adaptation Dune, may be pushed back to 2024.
Presently, the blockbuster is set for theatrical release on November 3rd this year, but due to the two ongoing Hollywood labour strikes by SAG-AFTRA and The Writers Guild of America, sources close to Warner Bros Film Group’s discussions have told Variety in a new exclusive that the company is seriously considering pushing the Timothée Chalamet-starring sci-fi back a year.
However, as Dune: Part Two is a co-production with Legendary Entertainment, both parties must agree on a new release date, one insider told the publication. Allegedly, Legendary is yet to be approached by Warner Bros. Elsewhere, another source claimed that releases are moving forward as planned, with no formal discussions held. They maintained that nobody knows how long the duration of the strikes would be.
According to Variety, representatives for Warner Bros and Legendary Entertainment have declined to comment on the matter regarding Dune: Part Two. It is also claimed that Warner Bros is looking at new dates for the upcoming musical The Colour Purple – which has Oprah Winfrey as producer – and DC’s Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom.
It has been claimed that Dune: Part Two might be hindered during the promotional phase, as some of its stars, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh, are currently bound by union restrictions, meaning they cannot promote past or future efforts released by companies they are striking against.
The report states that because Warner Bros might be looking to change dates, this suggests that they are not confident that the strikes will be resolved by the middle of the autumn. One insider told the publication that a movie like The Colour Purple would also need a strong awards campaign, with there a possibility that pushes for things such as the Academy Awards and Golden Globes will too be affected.
Watch the trailer for Dune: Part Two below.
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