Dune: Part Two Has Officially Been Delayed Until March 2024
Stoked for the November 3, 2023 release of Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part 2?" Make that March 14, 2024, provided the AMPTP settles its two-front labor war before then.
Warner Bros. Discovery and Legendary Pictures have jointly agreed to push back the release date for the hotly anticipated science-fiction epic four months, which suggests the studios are dug in on dragging this work stoppage out through the hugely lucrative holiday movie season.
This is insanely self-destructive. As has been pointed out numerous times, the studios, networks, and streamers can afford to meet the unions' demands without taking a massive hit to their bottom line, they're just outright refusing to do so. Many of these companies are currently taking a beating at the stock market, so why not do the right thing and:
- A) Walk back the cruel decision to digitize background performers' likenesses (which you can then use with impunity for free)
- B) Admit AI is a useless tool and,
- C) Commit to staff-writing minimums (which the vast majority of WGA members want).
These are not unreasonable demands. But moving a likely blockbuster off your release schedule out of greedy spite? That is not just unreasonable. It's irresponsible, and the kind of thing that could spark a shareholder.
Alas, this is apparently a done deal, so let's take a look at what this bodes for the holiday movie season.
Cease this madness!
Sony kicked off this strike-influenced release-date shuffle by knocking "Kraven the Hunter" and "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" to 2024 ("Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse has been delayed indefinitely). Meanwhile, "Dune: Part 2" is the second Zendaya film to get punted after Luca Guadagnino's "Challengers" got yanked from its opening night slot at the Venice Film Festival and consigned to a ho-hum April 26, 2024 berth (which certainly doesn't help the prestige picture's awards prospects).
All eyes turn to the remaining studio tentpoles slated for release in 2023's fourth quarter. Warner Bros. is reportedly considering a move for December heavy-hitters "The Color Purple" and "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Disney has the next Marvel Cinematic Universe entry "The Marvels" cued up for November 10, while WB has yet to mull a move for "Wonka" (December 10).
The argument for these date shifts is that the strike prohibits actors from doing promotion, which, undoubtedly, hampers the studio's promotional efforts. But, and I'm just thinking out loud here, if actors are that important to your marketing efforts, maybe you pay them what they're worth. Because the Timothee Chalamets, Zendayas and Florence Pughs of tomorrow gotta start somewhere.
So let right be done, and get these movies released on schedule.