Dune: Part Two is not only one of the best films of the year, but one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, depending on who you ask. And yet it’s about to become another victim of Warner Bros’ policy of putting most movies on Max streaming 45 days after their theatrical release.
That means Dune: Part Two’s streaming release date is April 16, a month and a half after its original March 1 release. It will arrive in 48 hours or so, but I maintain that cutting off its theatrical run was a poor decision by Warner Bros, as I’ve said previously.
Why? A few reasons. First, it’s arguably one of the best movies to see in theaters that I have ever seen, between its sweeping visuals, incredible score and perfect sound design. That experience will simply not translate into home viewing as well, and the messaging should be that you really, really need to see it in theaters if possible.
Second, it’s still performing well despite a wide decrease in showtimes. At the domestic box office this very weekend, two days before streaming release, it still earned $7.4 million domestically, bringing its grand total to $669,384,065 worldwide. Thankfully, Dune 3, Dune: Messiah, is already a go based on how wildly this movie outperformed the first tone, so that decision has been correctly made. But pulling this movie, of all movies, just a month and a half after it debuted is a mistake.
We have seen other studios recognize this. Part of Barbie’s massive run was the fact that it did not come to streaming for five full months after its release last year. Oppenheimer was released on July 21, 2023, and was not released on streaming until February of 2024. This idea that Dune Part 2 should have a streaming release date just 45 days after release is evidence of how much this desire to drive people toward streaming services can actively hurt the media being sold. They’re still treating this like a pandemic movie when we are now well past that.
WB has been pulled in multiple directions as they try to pay down debt, which has involved removing shows from Max or outright cancelling finished films. The 45 day window is meant to drive more Max subscribers, but the argument is that it’s costing them more than its helping. I would certainly say that for Dune 2.
Sure, I absolutely recommend Dune 2 in whatever format. But given that it’s still in theaters right now with at least a few showings a day in your local theater, most likely, I 300% recommend you watch it there instead.
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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
