No Time To Die & Dune China release dates secured

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and Daniel Craig’s last hurrah as 007, No Time To Die, have secured official release dates in China. This is a pivotal move for both of these very expensive films because China is the world’s biggest film market and it plays a big role in a movie’s potential international success.

The two films will be released on successive October weekends with Dune premiering on October 22, 2021, following an international rollout that has already begun and has garnered the film $37.9 million so far. No Time To Die will follow with its release in China on October 29, 2021, which is three weeks after its launch in America.

Both films really needed to secure a release in China because they carry hefty price tags and marketing costs that have only grown due to the release delays in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the case of No Time To Die, the Bond film needs to gross $900 million globally just to break even, according to Companies House in the U.K., via The ExpressCompanies House in the U.K., via The Express. The delays that have plagued No Time To Die have only added to its costs. The film was initially set for release in November of 2019 but a director change took that release date off the books. From there the film was hit with injuries and the global pandemic which has reportedly cost the studio $1 million a month in interest until the movie is released. 

Dune has its own share of worries as the film carries a reported budget of $165 million and has to deal with the day-and-date streaming/theatrical release pattern set up by Warner Bros. in response to the pandemic. It has been proven throughout the summer box office that the simultaneous streaming and theatrical release strategy mutes a film’s overall box office potential and that’s something Dune will be dealing with in the States as it will also be available to stream for the first 30 days of its release on HBO Max. Fans that want Villeneuve to be able to complete his Dune saga (the first film only adapts the first half of the book) are concerned that if it underperforms at the box office, he won’t get to complete his story. Warner Bros. reportedly has said that its HBO Max success will also play a factor in their decision to move ahead with Part II but getting a boost from a release in China only helps its chances moving forward as its global box office will also be looked at closely.

What are YOUR thoughts on No Time To Die and Dune earning releases in China?