Amid ongoing Hollywood labor strikes affecting promotional efforts, ‘Dune: Part Two’ has been postponed from its 2023 release and rescheduled for March 15, 2024. The film’s move displaces ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ to April 12, 2024, and pushes Lord of the ‘Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ to December 13, 2024.
The labor strikes, involving Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild, prevent actors from promoting films made by studios in the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The delay affects the film’s young star-studded cast, potentially impacting its promotion to younger audiences.
Despite this setback, the delay could enhance the sequel’s box office prospects in 2024, albeit affecting Warner Bros. Discovery’s 2023 earnings.
‘Dune: Part Two’ was highly anticipated after the success of its predecessor, which garnered Academy Award nominations and significant box office earnings despite a streaming release. The film’s potential to outperform its predecessor’s global box office earnings is bolstered by maintaining access to premium format screens.