‘Dune: Part Two’ soars toward $500 million global box office milestone, surpasses predecessor’s entire run

Denis Villeneuve's ‘Dune: Part Two’ surpasses $494.7 million globally, poised to hit $500 million milestone soon.

Denis Villeneuve sci-fi epic already has raked in a staggering $494.7 million worldwide, with $208 million contributed from North America and an impressive $289.4 million internationally. Industry insiders predict that the film will soon breach the $500 million milestone, a feat seldom achieved in the post-pandemic cinema landscape.

Within just 10 days of its release, the sequel to 2021’s Dune, has outshone the entire domestic earnings of the first installment, which faced hybrid streaming release constraints. The first Dune amassed $108 million domestically but reached a global total of $433 million. Top-performing territories for the sequel include China ($36 million), the U.K. ($32.8 million), Germany ($25 million), France ($24.9 million), and Australia ($15.6 million).

The film’s success can be attributed to glowing word-of-mouth endorsements and a strong preference for premium viewing formats. Dune: Part Two crossed the $100 million threshold from IMAX screens alone over the weekend, marking it as the seventh-fastest film to achieve this milestone.

Despite substantial production and promotional costs totaling around $290 million, Dune: Part Two has demonstrated remarkable staying power, validating the hefty investment made by Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment.

Based on Frank Herbert’s iconic novel, the sequel continues the epic journey of Paul Atreides, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, amidst a star-studded ensemble cast featuring Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, and Christopher Walken alongside Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and Stellan Skarsgård.