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The new “Dune” movie is already shaping up to be a huge success for HBO Max. Reports indicate its opening day showing is the best for any Warner Bros. film released in both theaters and streaming; $17.5 million.
Denis Villeneuve directed the 2021 version of the science fiction movie. Timothée Chalamet plays “Dune’s” main character, Paul Atreides. Other actors who make up the all-star cast include Jason Momoa, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem.
The plot follows Paul as he is groomed to succeed his father and lead House Atreides. The emperor tasked the Atreides to take control of the resource-rich planet Arrakis. They are taking over control from House Harkonnen, which leads to political turmoil.
On Friday, October 22, the 2021 reboot of 1984 film of the same name was released in the United States. The original “Dune,” directed by David Lynch, was panned by critics at the time. However, it has since gained cult classic status, and its rabid followers were looking forward to the new film.
Villeneuve is in familiar territory as it is the second time he has rebooted an ’80s sci-fi classic. In 2017, he directed the remake of Ridley Scott’s 1989 film “Blade Runner.” So far, “Dune” is looking to be his biggest debut, bigger than “Blade Runner 2049,” which earned $12.6 million.
Potential Box Office Success
The movie is reported to have cost around $300 million in production, distribution, and marketing costs. This installment is Part 1, with the sequel set to come out in a couple of years.
This first part is on track to earn a bunch of money and boost the HBO Max subscriber base. So it is safe to say the studio will be able to recoup its costs.
Opening day was not without its pitfalls. Within 24 hours of release, people in many major cities were having streaming problems when trying to watch the movie. Subscribers in large cities across the country reported issues with the streaming quality. They complained the service was blurry and repeatedly buffering.
Commenters on DownDetector complained about things like not being able to use the app on their TVs and having to pause and play every two minutes to watch the movie. One offered their opinion for the reason behind the streaming issues. “[it] could be everyone trying to watch the original “Dune” at the same time.”
Written by Chiagozie Onyewuchi
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Deadline: ‘Dune’ Seeing $17.5M Opening Day, Best For Warner Bros HBO Max Day/Date Title & Denis Villeneuve; by Anthony D’Alessandro
Downdetector!: User reports indicate possible problems at HBO Max
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Ron Frazier’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Brecht Bug’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
