SATURDAY UPDATE: Warner Bros/Legendary Entertainment’s Dune: Part Two continued offshore rollout on Friday, adding another 16 markets and a further $20.8M to bring the running international box office cume to $42.4M. That’s through the first three days across 71 markets total and including previews (China and Japan release later this month).
The epic Denis Villeneuve-directed sci-fi sequel is looking at a full overseas opening frame of $85M+. If the current domestic projection lands, then the global start would be just north of $160M, slightly off pre-weekend estimates but a very strong debut. There’s also wiggle room here depending on how Saturday shakes out. Premium large formats are in high demand, and there are likely people waiting until they can get to see the movie on the biggest screen possible (here in London today, every IMAX showing was sold out). Given word of mouth and a clear runway, playability is expected.
The debut will certainly come in well above Part Two’s 2021 predecessor which released in a Covid-impacted marketplace (the international start on that film in like-for-like markets, at today’s rates and including previews was $55M).
The big Part Two opener on Friday was the UK with $3.6M from 2,087 screens and at a dominant No. 1, nearly 700% higher than the No. 2 movie. The launch is higher than Villeneuve’s 2021 Dune by 187%, as well as ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 by 7%, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One by 63% and Blade Runner 2049 by 109%.
In the UK, IMAX repped a terrific 19% share of the total box office on Friday.
Spain was also a new play on Friday with $1M from 1,071 screens and a 75% share of the Top 5 films. This was the biggest opening day ever for Villeneuve in the market. It also outperformed comps including Oppenheimer (+44%), Dune (+58%), Blade Runner 2 (+69%), M:I7 (+121%) and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (+194%). Including previews, the running cume in the market is $1.1M.
Overall, the Top 5 offshore markets through Friday are France ($5M), Germany ($4.1M), Korea ($3.9M — including Saturday and not reflected above, the market is at $5.5M), UK ($3.6M) and Australia ($2.5M).
We’ll have a full report on Sunday.
PREVIOUS, FRIDAY UPDATE: Dune: Part Two added 42 international box office markets on Thursday, taking the offshore cume on the Denis Villeneuve-directed sequel to $20.8M in a total 55. This includes two full-days of play and previews in those markets.
The Warner Bros/Legendary Entertainment sci-fi spectacular is the No. 1 U.S. title in all markets and will add Spain and the UK today as well as 14 smaller hubs. Domestic previews, as Anthony has noted, came in over $12M.
On Thursday overseas, the Top 5 openers were Germany, Australia, Mexico, Poland and Brazil. In Germany, where the cume including previews is $2.4M, the start captured 70% market share of the Top 10 films. The results are roughly on par with Oppenheimer and ahead of the opening day of The Batman (+65%), Dune (+81%), Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (+119%), Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (+136%) and Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 (+155%).
Australia has a $1.3M cume including previews. The opening day nabbed an 81% share of the Top 10. Similar to Germany, the take is roughly in line with Oppenheimer, and ahead of the other comps including 51% bigger than 2021’s Dune, 81% over M:I7 and 170% above Rise of the Beasts.
Mexico pulled in $696K on Thursday, a clear No. 1 with premium formats performing strongly — IMAX repped 10% of the daily total and 4D 5%. Thursday’s bow was above Dune by 85% to give Villeneuve his biggest start ever in the market.
Poland kicked off with $361K, at a clear No. 1 on a non-traditional Thursday. That makes comps tricky as Thursday releases are not common, but it is above Barbie’s extensive Thursday previews and also Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore which bowed on a Thursday.
Brazil nabbed $331K at No. 1 and four times higher than the No. 2 film. This is also Villeneuve’s biggest opening day and is roughly on par with M:I7 as well as ahead of Dune by 127%. IMAX results are great with 11% of the total box office in the market from just 1% of the screens.
The Top 5 markets overall through two days are France with $3.5M, Germany at $2.4M, Korea with $2.1M ($3.9M through Friday which is not reflected in the total above), Australia ($1.3M) and Taiwan and Italy tied at $1.1M each.
More updates to come.
PREVIOUS, THURSDAY: Warner Bros/Legendary Entertainment’s much awaited Dune: Part Two is off and storming the international box office. The Denis Villeneuve-directed sequel began its overseas rollout Wednesday in 13 markets with $5.2 million for the day as the No. 1 Hollywood film in each. Including previews, the offshore cume through yesterday is $7.6M.
Wednesday’s release markets included France, Italy and Korea. In France, the running cume is $2.3M which includes previews. The Allociné rating is an outstanding 4.5 out of 5 stars from audiences (and a fab 4.1 from critics). Including previews, the film is tracking on par with The Batman, 27% over Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, 44% ahead of Villeneuve’s 2021 Dune and 63% over Oppenheimer. Imax results are 65% ahead of Oppenheimer in terms of admissions. When including the France Tuesday previews, this start for Dune: Part Two is even bigger in Imax than Avatar: The Way of Water.
In Korea, where local film Exhuma is taking up a lot of oxygen, Dune 2 opened at No. 2 with $1.2M on Wednesday. The launch day is 108% above Dune and 385% ahead of Blade Runner 2049 as well as coming in as the biggest opening day for star Timothée Chalamet and director Villeneuve. It is the biggest Imax opening day for a WB title. Through Thursday (not included in the totals above), the movie has grossed $2.1M.
In Taiwan, Dune 2 took a 62% market share on Wednesday with $892K to track as the biggest opening day for Villeneuve and Chalamet. It performed 107% higher than Oppenheimer, 172% above The Batman and 229% bigger than Dune Part One.
Italy, which is coming back so nicely overall, gave Dune 2 a 58% share of the Top 5 Films on Wednesday — ahead of Dune by 4% and Mission: Impossible 7 by 32%. Advance ticket sales for the coming days are great and the movie has been warmly received both by critics and fans.
In Sweden, the early start was $546,000, dominating with a 74% share of the Top 5 Films. Imax repped 12% of the box office. Part Two was also above all comps.
Another 42 markets release today, Thursday, including Germany, Australia, and all of Latin America. Friday will see 16 markets open including Spain and the UK, for a total of 71 markets in release after the weekend.
We will be updating throughout.