No Time to Die, Dune Secure China Release Dates

The Chinese government has been limiting the release of imported films and some movies such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals aren't expected to be released in the country. However, there are other big 2021 films that have officially been given release dates in China. Dune, the highly-anticipated sci-fi/adventure from Denis Villeneuve and No Time to Die, the long-awaited new James Bond film, will both be hitting theaters in China next month. 

According to Deadline, Dune is set to be released in China on October 22nd, and No Time to Die will follow soon after on October 29th. These release dates aren't far off from the ones in the United States. In fact, Dune will also be released in the U.S. in theaters (and on HBO Max) on the 22nd. No Time to Die will come a little earlier, hitting theaters here on October 8th. 

The releases of Dune and No Time to Die will mark the first big Hollywood films to hit China since Free Guy. Legendary East is handling the release of Dune in the PRC and is expected to play everywhere in the country, including Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. No Time to Die is being distributed by Universal overseas, and since China is an important market for the Bond franchise,  Eon/Universal/MGM intentionally pushed back the movie multiple times until they knew a release in China was possible.

Dune is based on the novel by Frank Herbert and is set to star Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Dr. Liet-Kynes, Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban, and Javier Bardem as Stilgar. 

Warner Bros. describes Dune as "A mythic and emotionally charged hero's journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive."

Cary Fukunaga is directing the No Time to Die with a script he co-wrote alongside Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Scott Z.Burns, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The film stars Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Lashana Lynch, Jeffrey Wright, Lea Seydoux, and Billy Magnussen. Christoph Waltz will be making a return as the villain Blofeld.

You can read the official synopsis for No Time to Die, which will mark the first Bond film since 2015's Spectre, here: "In NO TIME TO DIE, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology."

Dune opens in theaters everywhere on October 22nd. No Time to Die hits theaters in the U.S. on October 9th and in China on October 29th.