Dune: Part Two is returning to IMAX, meaning it could break even more records. Directed once again by Denis Villeneuve, the sequel to the filmmaker’s first adaptation of Frank Herbert’s beloved 1965 novel has been a major success in theaters. The film, which picks up right after the end of 2021’s Dune and chronicles Paul Atreides’ (Timothée Chalamet) ascension to becoming a messiah-like figure for the Fremen, has been a particular draw in IMAX formats, including standard and 70mm IMAX.
Per a new report from Collider, Dune: Part Two will be returning to IMAX starting on Friday, April 19. The film has proven to be a major success in the format, and it has so far made $139.4 million in IMAX alone. This makes Dune: Part Two the seventh highest-grossing movie in the history of IMAX, but it could rise even higher as it returns to the format.
Before Dune: Part Two‘s box office success in IMAX, there was Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s three-hour historical drama about the creator of the atomic bomb. Despite its genre and runtime (and the fact that it was rated R), Oppenheimer went on to become one of the director’s most successful films, and its box office total currently stands at a remarkable $968.2 million worldwide. $188 million of this was from IMAX, with audiences seeking out the project in IMAX and other premium large formats (PLF) to get the best experience.
Oppenheimer is arguably the most surprising example of a film’s IMAX success, but previous projects like Avatar: The Way of Water, Avengers: Endgame, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, among others, prove that the format works for the right movies when they’re marketed as major events that are not to be missed in theaters. With Dune: Part Two‘s latest success, it seems like IMAX is only poised to continue its rise.
New IMAX screens continue to be built around the world as the format becomes more in-demand, and it could encourage more filmmakers to embrace shooting films specifically for this enhanced format. While it’s not likely to work for every film (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, for example, was a notable disappointment last year), some movies evidently have the ability to truly take off under the right circumstances. With glowing Dune: Part Two reviews and strong word-of-mouth, Villeneuve clearly made a movie that audiences want to experience on the biggest screens possible, and it paints a bright future for IMAX.
Source: Collider