It appears Dune's HBO Max fate is still up in the air.
According to Deadline, Warner Bros. have yet to decide if the Legendary Pictures-backed film adaptation of Frank Herbert's iconic sci-fi novel will get a traditional theatrical release or hit theaters the same day it begins a month-long run streaming on HBO Max. In the meantime, WarnerMedia's streaming service has continued to feature the movie in promotions for its upcoming 2021 slate, which includes Warner Bros.' summer tentpoles like Space Jam: A New Legacy and The Suicide Squad.
The uncertainty around Dune goes back to Dec. 2020, when WarnerMedia announced it would release all of Warner Bros.' 2021 movies in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. It was subsequently reported Legendary Pictures was considering filing a lawsuit against Warner Bros. over its plans to use this hybrid model for Godzilla vs. Kong and Dune, both of which were primarily financed by Legendary. Dune director Denis Villeneuve then wrote an essay criticizing WarnerMedia's decision, arguing the film is too big to succeed by releasing this way. Not long after, a separate report indicated Warner Bros. was re-considering its plans and might give Dune a theater-exclusive rollout. Since then, however, the studio has yet to make a final decision either way.
As for Godzilla vs. Kong, the film premiered in U.S. theaters and on HBO Max last week, following Warner Bros.' negotiations with Legendary. The movie easily surpassed expectations and all other pandemic-era blockbusters by grossing $48.5 million in its first five days at the domestic box office, bringing its global total to $285.4 million. All the same, there's been some debate about whether Godzilla vs. Kong could've opened even bigger, had it not been available on HBO Max. This discussion is expected to factor into Warner Bros.' continuing negotiations with Legendary over Dune's release.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve from a script he co-wrote with Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts, Dune stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Chang Chen as Dr. Wellington Yueh, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Dr. Liet Kynes, Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban, David Dastmalchian as Piter De Vries, Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, Stephen Henderson as Thufir Hawat and Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck. The film arrives in theaters and on HBO Max Oct. 1.
Source: Deadline