Dune Thursday preview earnings reach $5.1M at the box office

Dune Thursday evening preview numbers are in, and it looks like Denis Villeneuve’s highly-anticipated sci-fi epic is on its way toward becoming a massive hit at the box office. Thousands of theaters across North America hosted the film on Thursday night, with IMAX theaters making up 30% of the real estate. The Legendary and Warner Bros. blockbuster is launching day-and-date on HBO Max in the U.S., but that hasn’t kept Dune from earning $5.1 million in preview screenings.

Dune will undoubtedly win the box office this weekend, though how its HBO Max release will affect its overall take remains to be seen. Analysts expect the film will open in the mid-$30 million range, yet the studios behind the movie aren’t holding their breath. One aspect of the film’s theatrical release to consider is that younger audiences are powering the box office right now, though they’re not the target demo for this release. They didn’t grow up reading the Dune books per se, and at 155 minutes in length, Villeneuve’s version of the story could be a hard sell.

Regardless of Dune’s Thursday evening preview numbers looking solid, the film cost Legendary around $165 million to make before marketing. In other words, the film is going to have to make a pretty penny in theaters to be considered a hit. Its success will also be a determining factor in whether or not it receives a sequel. Villeneuve has stated on numerous occasions that his version of Dune is a two-part event and that it would be a shame if he doesn’t get the green light for a sequel.

How do you plan on seeing Dune? Will you be going to the theater? IMAX perhaps? I’ll be grabbing my tickets for a Sunday screening later this afternoon and can’t wait to experience the film for myself. I’ve not read the books, I’ve not seen David Lynch’s version of the story, none of that business. I’m going in as fresh as a daisy and am looking forward to seeing what all the fuss has been about.