Dune: Part Two is giving the sluggish 2024 box office a jolt with the largest opening of the year thus far. Dune: Part Two is blowing its box office projections that had it opening in the mid-$70 million range with an opening week of $81.5 million. That’s almost double what the first (with a day-and-date release on HBO Max), and follows the biggest preview night screening total since Barbie and Oppenheimer created a buzz in 2023. Dune: Part Two has been met with critical acclaim, earning a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. ComicBook.com’s Patrick Cavanaugh scored the film as 4-out-of-5 stars in his Dune: Part Two . He writes:
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“[Frank] Herbert’s Dune is not only a thrilling journey in its own right, but it also serves as an allegory exploring themes of colonialism, fanaticism, religion, imperialism, and the exploitation of natural resources. These aren’t entirely crowd-pleasing ideas, and Villeneuve largely accomplishes honoring those themes while also making for an engaging sci-fi epic. It doesn’t quite feel as awe-inspiring as the debut film, but this will ultimately work in the favor of the story, as we aren’t given arbitrarily inflated elements that would have fit within the blockbuster-oriented sensibilities of franchise filmmaking seen in so many other series. Still, the fact that such an inaccessible tome could be brought to life without having to sacrifice either the character complexities or depressing allegories found within the source material makes the two-film journey a triumph in its own right, and we can’t wait to see where Messiah will take us.”
The list of the top 10 films at the box office this weekend is in the works. Dune: Part Two is playing in theaters now.
1. Dune: Part Two
- Opening Weekend
- Total: $81.5 million
Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
The big-screen epic Dune: Part Two includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Léa Seydoux, with Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem. Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Frank Herbert‘s iconic novel.
2. Bob Marley: One Love
- Week Three
- Weekend: $7.43 million
- Total: $82.77 million
Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.
Reinaldo Marcus Green directed Bob Marley: One Love from a screenplay they co-wrote with Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, and Zach Baylin, based on the life of Bob Marley. The film stars Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, and James Norton.
3. Ordinary Angels
- Week Two
- Weekend: $3.85 million
- Total: $12.5 million
A struggling hairdresser finds a renewed sense of purpose when she meets a widowed father working hard to care for his two daughters. With his youngest critically ill and waiting for a liver transplant, the fierce woman single-handedly rallies an entire community to help.
Jon Gunn directed Ordinary Angels from a screenplay written by Meg Tilly and Kelly Fremon Craig. The film stars Hilary Swank, Alan Ritchson, Nancy Travis, and Tamala Jones.
4. Madame Web
- Week Three
- Weekend: $3.2 million
- Total: $40.4 million
Cassandra Webb is a New York City paramedic who starts to show signs of clairvoyance. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she must protect three young women from a mysterious adversary who wants them dead.
S. J. Clarkson directed Madame Web from a screenplay she co-wrote with Claire Parker and Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless. The film stars Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, and Adam Scott.
5. The Chosen Season 4, Episodes 7-8
- Opening Weekend
- Weekend: $3.15 million
- Total: $3.9 million
As the seeds of His betrayal are planted, Jesus calls on his followers to rise up when opposition to their message turns violent.
Dallas Jenkins created The Chosen. It stars Jonathan Roumie, Shahar Isaac, Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, Noah James, and George H. Xanthis.
6. Migration
- Week 11
- Weekend: $2.5 million
- Total: $123.4 million
A family of ducks decides to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. However, their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.
Benjamin Renner directed Migration, with co-director Homsy, from a screenplay written by Mike White. The film’s voice cast includes Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Keegan-Michael Key, Awkwafina, and Danny DeVito.
7. Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training
- Week Two
- Weekend: $2.06 million
- Total: $15.7 million
Tanjiro fights the demon Hantengu, while the Hashira prepare for a final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji.
Haruo Sotozaki directed Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training. The film’s English voice cast includes Zach Aguilar, Abby Trott, Zeno Robinson, Griffin Burns, Kira Buckland, Christopher Corey Smith, Ben Balmaceda, Robbie Daymond, Kyle Herbert, Jeannie Tirado, Mike McFarland, Laura Post, Kyle McCarley, Matthew Mercer, Suzie Yeung, Greg Chun, and Johnny Yong Bosch.
8. Wonka
- Week 12
- Weekend: $1.73 million
- Total: $216.7 million
Armed with nothing but a hatful of dreams, young chocolatier Willy Wonka manages to change the world, one delectable bite at a time.
Paul King directed Wonka from a screenplay he co-wrote with Simon Farnaby, based on characters created by Roald Dahl. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Natasha Rothwell, Tom Davis, Olivia Colman and Hugh Grant.
9. Argylle
- Week Five
- Weekend: $1.4 million
- Total: $43.9 million
Reclusive author Elly Conway writes best-selling espionage novels about a secret agent named Argylle who’s on a mission to unravel a global spy syndicate. However, when the plots of her books start to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, the line between fiction and reality begin to blur.
Matthew Vaughn directed Argylle from a screenplay by Jason Fuchs. The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Henry Cavill, Sofia Boutella, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson.
10. The Beekeeper
- Week Eight
- Weekend: $1.1 million
- Total: $64.9 million
One man’s brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after it’s revealed he’s a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as Beekeepers.
David Ayer directed The Beekeeper from a screenplay written by Kurt Wimmer. It stars Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad, and Jeremy Irons.
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Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures
