A sci-fi spectacle: Dune: Part Two sweeps up the biggest opening weekend since Barbenheimer.
Dune: Part Two has delivered the biggest opening weekend since the double showdown of Barbie and Oppenheimer, aka “Barbenheimer” in July 2023
During its Thursday to Sunday opening weekend, it delivered $1.8M at the New Zealand box office.
The film delivered over 74,000 admissions since opening with a heavy skew towards males and the P25-54 demographic.
Denis Villeneuve’s highly anticipated second instalment in the Dune series, Dune: Part Two finally hit cinemas across New Zealand on Thursday last week.
The must-see American epic sci-fi starring some of the biggest names in Hollywood like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Austin Butler, has delivered the biggest opening weekend since the double showdown of Barbie and Oppenheimer, aka “Barbenheimer” in July 2023.
Releasing in over 70 international markets, Dune: Part Two has hit a cumulative $178 million at the global box office during its Thursday to Sunday opening weekend, $1.8M of which was delivered at the New Zealand box office.
The film delivered over 74,000 admissions from Thursday to Sunday last week, with audiences skewing heavily toward males and the P25-54 demographic.
Critics and fans are in awe of the latest blockbuster success, with the film securing a 93% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, placing it as one of the highest-rated second instalments in Rotten Tomatoes history. Along with rave reviews, it has also delivered an impeccable 95% audience score.
The film also scored a huge A Cinemascore over the weekend and is currently sitting as the 10th best-reviewed film of all time on IMDB.
NZ Sales Director of Val Morgan Cinema, Matt Tremain, commented on the success of the opening weekend.
"Dune: Part Two is a must-see cultural moment of 2024 that demands to be experienced on the biggest screen of all.
With incredible reviews and positive word of mouth hailing the film as one of the greatest sequels of all time, we expect the film to continue delivering strong admissions and dominating the box office over the coming weeks.
Tremain continued “The release of Dune: Part Two marks just the beginning of another stellar year in cinema, with some of the best original and sequel films planned for 2024.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Despicable Me 4, Deadpool & Wolverine, Moana 2, Wicked and Mufasa: The Lion King will offer brands an incredible opportunity to align with what are sure to be some of the biggest cultural moments of the year."
2024’s biggest blockbusters yet to release:
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - 21 March
Kung Fu Panda 4 - 28 March
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - 28 March
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - 23 May
Inside Out 2 - 13 June
Despicable Me 4 - 20 June
Deadpool & Wolverine - 25 July
Joker: Folie a Deux - 3 October
Gladiator 2 - 21 November
Wicked - 28 November
Moana 2 - 28 November
Mufasa: The Lion King - 19 December
Source: ^ Numero (excluding preview screenings).