We are on the eve of one of the biggest releases of 2021— “Dune.” The film has been delayed (like most blockbusters) for close to a year, and now, Warner Bros. is not only releasing the film in theaters, but also day-and-date on HBO Max. And if you’re a lucky person (like myself), who has already seen the film, you know Denis Villeneuve’s epic sci-fi feature is most definitely a “Part One” and doesn’t tell a complete story. This leaves the “Dune” faithful (like myself) freaking out that maybe there won’t be a “Part Two.” Well, when you see comments from the top brass at Warner Bros., it would appear that fans can breathe a sigh of relief when the credits roll after seeing ‘Part One’ for the first time because it sure does sound like Villeneuve is going to get his chance to finish the story.
READ MORE: ‘Dune’: Denis Villeneuve Talks Dreams, Sequels & How ‘Star Wars’ Left Him [Interview]
With the company’s most recent quarterly earnings announcement, the bigwigs over at WarnerMedia, Studios and Networks Chair and CEO Ann Sarnoff along with CEO Jason Kilar, recently spoke about whether or not fans should be expecting a sequel to “Dune.” And the news is hopeful, to say the least.
“Will we have a sequel to Dune? If you watch the movie you see how it ends. I think you pretty much know the answer to that,” Sarnoff said to Deadline.
That seems definitive, right? Personally, this means that “Dune” is going to definitely get a sequel and if not, I’m going to have to do a one-man protest, which will consist of me crying while reading Frank Herbert’s novel for the 10th time.
So, why is “Dune: Part Two: Sand is Coarse” (my proposed title) not a sure thing? Well, the first film cost such a huge amount of money and a second film would seemingly cost just as much, and if the box office doesn’t pan out like the executives hope, then why would they bother with a sequel? But thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be the case in the early international numbers.
“We’re really, really happy with where we’re at 14 days in,” Kilar told Variety, talking about the first two weeks of international release for “Dune,” which has already earned $130 million.
But as the executives also explained, you can’t just judge “Dune” based on box office dollars, as the film is also getting an HBO Max debut in the US. There are more factors that will be considered.
“The story in itself sets up for a sequel. The production is so amazing and the storytelling is so compelling that it’s not going to be judged on box office alone,” Sarnoff said, explaining that a decision about a sequel will be based on “the entirety of what ‘Dune’ can do for the company, including HBO Max.”
All this to say, it really does appear that Warner Bros. is excited about moving ahead with a sequel for “Dune.” And if you’re a fan of the novel and Denis Villeneuve’s new film, this is a music to your ears.
“Dune” arrives in theaters on October 22.