A total shocker this evening. After much deliberation, Warner Bros has decided to delay “Dune: Part Two” to March 15th, 2024. That’s not even a set up for a Cannes premiere. They’re just releasing in early Spring.
The move takes “Dune: Part Two” out of the 2023 Oscar race. I’m guessing a few more titles will likely bow out in the coming weeks and months. Will “Napoleon” be next? There have been a few rumors about that one switching dates. Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” is said to be keeping its October 6 release.
Earlier this month, during a recent IMAX earnings call, IMAX Chief Executive Officer, Richard Gelfond stated that ‘Dune 2’ was "highly unlikely to move" from its November 3 release date.
Gelfond confirmed that the much-anticipated sequel has already “5-6 weeks” worth of IMAX screens waiting for it. That’s a lot of commitment on the part of IMAX and who knows if the new release date will result in less screens.
As it stands, Denis Villeneuve is still editing his film, which is said to currently have a rough cut of around 3 hours. The ‘Dune 2’ cast includes the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin.