Dune: Part Two Opens Big at the Global Box Office

The world returned to Arrakis this weekend, as the highly anticipated Dune: Part Two barreled into theaters around the globe. The first film in the series was a critical darling, an awards contender, and a decent hit at the box office — considering that it was also made available simultaneously on on HBO Max. This time around, Dune is available exclusively in theaters, and the numbers are showing just how money there is to be made from Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi franchise.

Dune: Part Two got out to a phenomenal start at the box office this weekend, both in North America and internationally. According to Sunday's numbers, the Dune sequel is on pace for a massive global opening around $178.5 million over the course of the weekend. That includes $97 million from international markets. The film opened in 71 markets outside of North America, with releases in China and Japan coming over the next couple of weeks.

That puts Dune: Part Two well ahead of its predecessor, which should come as no surprise given the day-and-date streaming release the first Dune experienced. Part Two's opening weekend is 76% ahead of the debut of the first movie. That initial film went on to make $402 million at the box office, in spite of its streaming availability.

This bodes well for the power Dune holds with theater-goers, and the possibility of a third film in the series basked on Frank Herbert's Dune Messiah. Villeneuve has made it known that he'd like to craft a trilogy out of the story of Paul Atreides, and the box office success of Part Two will be the driving force behind that decision from Warner Bros. and Legendary.

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.