Finally, the first unmitigated hit of 2024.
After riding the worm and ingesting the spice, Dune: Part Two demolished expectations with an $82.5 million domestic debut and $182.3 million globally. That’s double the numbers domestically from its predecessor in 2021, and the follow-up is surpassing on every front in numbers and reviews (an A from CinemaScore). Congrats to Warner Brothers, which can be perceived as more than “just” another distributor for Batman or any Harry Potter-IP prospects. It just topped the debut of Five Nights at Freddy’s, if that’s another sign of Hollywood having its cake and for us to eat it, too. If Part Two legs like its predecessor, we could see it reach $225 million domestically and it won’t be barred by COVID variables or theater troubles. A China and Japan release awaits it later this month, so we could discuss another Timothee Chalamet-led work that’ll surpass $600 million worldwide (much like Wonka) and has a chance to rev up the engines for a Part 3.
The other aspect is the hope this weekend isn’t too frontloaded, as March awaits several other skewed to younger audiences like Kung Fu Panda 4, Ghostbusters: The Frozen Empire, and Godzilla x Kong. But, in a much more broadened sense, it is preposterous to think it took almost two months for the box office to finally wake up with some content on the horizon that audiences wanted to see aside from another IP-led massacre (Madame Web) or unspectacular-led blockbusters that “could’ve” been something more (Argylle). Keep the engines running, and let’s make the first two months of 2024 more of a distant memory than ever.
In other news, Bob Marley: One Love dipped with $7.4 million in its third weekend; music tales have faired better in recent memories thanks to audiences’ attachment to beloved icons/groups that have created a cornucopia of songs that’ll stick with us for ages. Passing $100 million domestically does seem like a melody away, and it should be passing $150 million worldwide by Tuesday morning.
Ordinary Angels pulled in $3.85 million in its second weekend, The Chosen: Season 4 distributed episodes 7-8 for $3.27 million, and Madame Web may pass $100 million worldwide sometime by Thursday. The Dakota Johnson-led Sony Spider-Man spinoff has been another evident example of how audiences are done with another superhero movie that is absent of the characters they want to see. A poor execution also doesn’t help matters either.
Migration has passed $275 million worldwide, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba crashed in its second weekend with $2 million. And Wonka is still sticking around to leg past $625 million worldwide any moment, keeping Mr. Chalamet as the winter/spring box office star.
Next weekend sees the release of Kung Fu Panda 4, Imaginary, Love Lies Bleeding, Ricky Stanicky (on Prime), and Damsel (on Netflix).
