Yahoo Movies Dune crosses box office milestone to fuel hopes for Part Two
Looks like a Dune follow-up could well and truly be on the cards after the star-studded sci-fi managed to earn a whopping $221 million at the worldwide box office over its opening weekend.
The movie, which was directed by Arrival's Denis Villeneuve, released simultaneously on HBO Max and in cinemas in the US, which makes the $40 million (£33.7m) it made across the pond all the more impressive.
It also marks Warner Bros' biggest opening of 2021, beating out the likes of Godzilla vs. Kong, Space Jam: A New Legacy and The Suicide Squad (via Variety).
In the UK, the film pocketed $7.5m during its opening weekend, while in China it is said to have racked up $22m in ticket sales.
Related: Oscar Isaac opens up about Dune's nude scene
Starring Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet, Dune adapts the first half of Frank Herbert's classic 1965 novel and follows Paul Atreides, the son of a Duke who has just accepted stewardship over the harsh desert planet of Arrakis.
There, House Atreides must oversee the sourcing of melange, aka spice, a substance that can extend human life and grant its users incredible powers. And as the world's previous rulers aim to take back control, Paul is drafted into an epic war involving his family and his father's army, the sand-savvy Fremen locals and the oppressive, brutal Harkonnens.
Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista, Babs Olusanmokun, David Dastmalchian, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Sharon Duncan-Brewster and Josh Brolin round out the cast.
Related: Dune's Jason Momoa and Rebecca Ferguson reveal their favourite moments
Back in September, Villeneuve hinted that he's "ready to go" when it comes to a sequel, but reiterated that the studio has yet to officially greenlight one.
"I would be very ready to go quite quickly," he told IGN and other media. "To go quickly in a movie of that size, you still need to make sets, costumes, so we are talking about months. But if ever there's enthusiasm, I will say that I will be ready to shoot in 2022 for sure.
"The first film, I really had time to make sure that it was exactly the way I wanted it to be," the filmmaker explained. "I would love to have the same feeling when I make the second part. That would be the priority. Quality will be the priority."
Dune is in UK cinemas now. It is also available to watch on HBO Max, in addition to being in theatres, in the US.
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