Why Was Dune 2 Delayed (And What Movies Could Be Next)?

The fallout from the strike has claimed another casualty and could claim several more.

Those eagerly awaiting one of the year's most anticipated blockbusters will have to wait an extra four months. After weeks of rumors, Dune: Part Two has officially been delayed from its November 3 release, and a likely Oscar run to March 14, 2024, and already the social media outcry has been overwhelming.

The disappointment seems nearly unanimous, and the question on everyone's lips is, "Why"?

Why Was It Delayed?

The simple answer for the delay is that the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes make it all but impossible for Warner Bros., Denis Villeneuve, and the cast of Dune to mount the publicity campaign they all want. For the SAG-AFTRA strike specifically, one of the key rules is that not only are actors not permitted to film any new projects during the work stoppage, but they're also barred from publicity of their current, past, and upcoming projects.

However, the fallout from the decision to delay Dune could potentially prove to have an unpredictable impact on its box office. While yes, the lack of actor publicity would've probably worked against it, Dune: Part Two is following the massive success of a first installment that earned over $400 million worldwide.

Considering it came in the immediate aftermath of a global pandemic and a simultaneous release on HBO Max, it's not hard to believe Part Two would've been an even bigger hit. Moving to spring, a moviegoing season traditionally more competitive than the fall could possibly hurt its intake.

More importantly, in a year when most of Warner Bros.'s blockbusters (Barbie being the exception) have either disappointed or outright bombed, Dune could've been the massive hit they needed to end the year strong. Considering the film was shot entirely on IMAX cameras, it's easy to believe that it could've seen an additional box office boost from large-format screens, considering how well that just worked out for Oppenheimer. And considering a November release is the perfect season to launch an Oscar campaign (Part One dominated its year's tech categories with six wins), it can't help but feel like the studio is missing out on a similarly successful awards run.

This is an infuriating reminder of how quickly the strikes could be resolved if the studios would be willing to meet the union's demands. If they agreed to walk back the proposal to digitize actors' likenesses, limit the use of AI in writing scripts or recreating performances, and give actors fair residuals from streaming, they could end the strike tomorrow, and the cast of Dune: Part Two would be able to promote the film in time for a fall release. Instead, it only seems like Warner Bros. is hurting not only the thousands currently out of work but their own bottom line.

What Other Films Could Be Delayed?

Of course, Dune: Part Two is far from the only casualty of the strikes; just a month ago, Sony Pictures significantly shook up its release schedule, delaying films such as Kraven the Hunter and the new Ghostbusters sequel all the way to next year. And Drive-Away Dolls, Ethan Coen's new comedy caper from Focus Features, was recently moved from late September all the way to February.

Many more are likely still to come. One of the most likely candidates is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which already has seen several delays and is following off seven consecutive bombs in the DC Extended Universe. Factor in well-publicized reshoots and poorly received test screenings, and it seems no wonder that Warner Bros. has yet to release a trailer or a poster, even when it's still set to open this Christmas season. A move to next year feels all but assured at this point.

This doesn't even get into all the films currently in production when the strikes began. Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning: Part Two wasn't even halfway done filming when they had to shut down, and it'll take a miracle to meet its release date of next June since the cast and crew have yet to return to the camera. Tim Burton's Beetlejuice follow-up was only in its first two months of shooting when the strikes hit, and Ridley Scott's sequel to Gladiator was only one month in. Considering they're still scheduled to release next year, it seems inevitable that they'll see delays as well.

Even Disney may follow suit by the year's end; rumors spread last month that they were considering delaying Wish, their hundredth-anniversary animated film. If true, this could be a particularly disastrous decision; the current Thanksgiving release slot has long been reserved for Disney and Pixar's animated films, with the likes of Tangled, Moana, and Encanto seeing big success during the holiday season. Of course, all of this is just speculation at the moment, but unless the studios can negotiate a deal with the actors and writers soon, these films likely won't be able to return to production in time to meet these release dates.