'Dune 2' Release Date Could Be Massively Delayed

Dune fans may have to look even further into the future than they thought to see Dune: Part Two. According to a report by Variety, Warner Bros. is strongly considering moving the sequel's premiere date back to 2024. The plan would be to stretch out the upcoming releases so that there is no major gap in the schedule during the Hollywood labor strikes.

Dune: Part Two currently has a release date of Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, and so far the studios and distributors have not officially announced any plans to change that. However, sources close to the production have told reporters that the executives in charge are "strongly considering" changing that release date. They said that Warner Bros. has discussed the idea but has not approached Legendary, suggesting that there would still be a long way to go before the change took effect. With the release date looming, such a change would need to be announced quickly.

The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are reportedly the main motivation behind these talks. Not only do the studios want to preserve their finished material to wait out the strike, but they may want to get their talent involved in promoting the film. The rules of the strike not only prevent actors from working, they prevent actors from giving interviews, attending press events, or promoting their movies in any way. That means if the strike is still going on in October, the A-list cast will not be allowed to promote it, potentially damaging ticket sales.

Dune: Part Two stars Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as his lover Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as his mother Jessica, Javier Bardem as his ally Stilgar, Josh Brolin as his mentor Gurney Halleck, Dave Bautista as their enemy Glossu Rabban, and Stellan Skarsgard as their enemy Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. New stars in this installment include Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV, and Austin Butler as Paul's foil, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen.

For many fans, a longer wait for this film would be a major blow. Dune: Part One premiered in the fall of 2021 after numerous delays and it exceeded all expectations for newcomers and die-hard fans alike. While it was planned as a two or three-part series, Warner Bros. did not commit to a sequel until after the first part was released, meaning that work on the sequel could not begin quickly. Knowing that the movie is already finished, a schedule change would likely outrage fans and reflect poorly on the studio.

Unfortunately, there's no way to predict how long these labor strikes will go on. So far, the producers' alliance has reportedly refused to return to the negotiating table. For now, Dune: Part Two retains its release date on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023.