Dune might be getting its exclusive theatrical widow after all. According to Deadline, the highly-anticipated remake will be one of the first upcoming Warner Bros. tentpoles to break with the studio’s current day-and-date release model.
Originally, Dune was scheduled to go the way of WB’s other 2021 releases and premiere on HBO Max the same day it hit theaters this fall. This move didn’t sit well with director Denis Villeneuve, who expressed his disappointment in an open letter published by Variety last December. The dispute has been the subject of ongoing conversations between WB and Legendary, which put up 75% of Dune’s budget. But now, the movie will reportedly have its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival this September. It will then have an exclusive 45-day run in theaters in October. Afterwards, it will make its way to HBO Max at an as-yet-undetermined date.
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Previously, Warner Bros. struck a deal with Regal Cinemas back in March to bring its movies back to theaters in 2022. Under its terms, the studio’s films will also screen in theaters for 45 days. However, this latest Dune news moves up the timetable by several months. Deadline’s report also describes the movie’s fall release as a “test,” which may be applied to WB’s late 2021 films.
Dune is currently scheduled to arrive on October 1.
Are you happy to hear that the film will hit the big screen later this year? Let us know in the comments down below!
Recommended Reading: Dune (Penguin Galaxy)
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