Of all the films that have been or will be simultaneously released on HBO Max and in theaters under WarnerMedia’s 2021 film strategy, the one that might be affected the most is “Dune.” Leading up to the release of “Dune,” there was so much buzz about the film and the possibilities that the Denis Villeneuve-directed feature could lead to a new franchise, with sequels and a spinoff TV series already in development. But with its HBO Max release, it’s likely the film will not make nearly as much money as before and could spell trouble for spinoffs and sequels. That said, according to a new Variety report, the folks behind “Dune” were given the option to delay the film once again to avoid the HBO Max release, but they decided against it.
In a report about the history of “Dune” getting sent to HBO Max and theaters day-and-date, Variety mentions how sources told the outlet that Legendary, the studio that co-financed and co-produced the film with Warner Bros., as well as people such as Denis Villeneuve, were given the option to delay “Dune” until 2022. That would put it outside of the 2021 release strategy and give the film an exclusive theatrical run. This option was presented after Villeneuve and Legendary went public with their disapproval of the HBO Max hybrid release strategy when it was announced last year. In fact, the report claims that the decision to keep “Dune” on its October 22 date was only solidified in August.
Now, if you’re a fan of “Dune” and been following the news about the streaming/theatrical release, it might be confusing why the filmmakers and studio would decide to keep it in October, all but assuring the film will have worse box office than the alternative? Well, the report claims that the folks involved were concerned about delaying the film again, especially after it has already been delayed multiple times over the last year. And there’s the added issue of backend payouts, with the filmmakers opting to take payouts now versus risking it in 2022 with a theatrical run.
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Either way, “Dune” is definitely arriving in theaters and HBO Max in October, so the film will be available in whatever format folks want to watch it in. Let’s just hope it’s not a decision that ruins the chances of more “Dune” in the future.