“Dune” didn’t power the week-end box-office as much as expected.
Denis Villeneuve’s film took home $12 million on Friday night, plus $5 million on Thursday previews. It is now estimated to open with a $38 million weekend. Add this to its $137 million international grosses and you might, just might, have a sequel greenlit in the next few weeks. Deadline's Nancy Tartaglione is also reporting that her sources believe “Dune” will make no more than $30+ million overall in China.
Of course, Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic is also playing on HBO Max in the United States. The fact that millions of Americans had the option to just watch it at home probably cut off a chunk of its theatrical gross. “Dune” also got an A- from Cinemascore audiences, so it is being very well-liked by those who are going to see it.