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Dune 2 Re-Release Day 2 India Box Office: Denis Villeneuve's global HIT performs miserably; Grosses Rs 50 lakh on Saturday
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two struggles in India, earning just Rs 50 lakh on Day 2 of its re-release, reinforcing its limited appeal in the country despite global box office success.
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two continues to struggle in India with its re-release failing to attract footfalls. Today, on its second day, the film grossed Rs 50 lakh, matching Friday’s numbers. The film’s original run in March 2024 was also underwhelming, peaking at just Rs 30 crore in the country.
Despite its global box office dominance, with earnings surpassing USD 700 million, the Dune franchise has failed to draw audiences in India, and here are a couple of reasons we feel are driving the negative reception.
One major factor is Indian audiences’ limited interest in Hollywood films that are not superhero entries or James Cameron’s spectacles and Christopher Nolan’s epics. We feel Villeneuve has a long way to go before Indian viewers lend him their eyes and ears. The niche fanbase in the country that does appreciate his work seems to have opted for a streaming experience over the theatrical one.
It’s not like Dune: Part Two invested its time, energy, and money in aggressive marketing in India. The lack of promotional efforts both during its initial run and ongoing re-run ensured that awareness about the film remained low.
With little effort from the makers and an inundating amount of alternative movie options for audiences, Dune: Part Two never stood a chance in the country.
However, for those interested, here are the cast and plot details of the offering:
The sci-fi epic, adapted from Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, follows Paul Atreides as he aligns with the Fremen people to battle House Harkonnen. Timothée Chalamet plays the said character, with Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and Léa Seydoux rounding out the cast.
Development on the sequel began after the success of the debut installment in 2021. Filming took place in Budapest, Italy, Jordan, and Abu Dhabi between July and December 2022. The movie was initially slated for a November 2023 release but was delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood labor strike, premiering instead on March 1, 2024.
Besides the aforementioned commercial acclaim, the film won two Academy Awards at the 97th edition of the ceremony earlier this month. It had also secured two BAFTA Awards while also scoring a place in the American Film Institute’s Top 10 films of last year.
Day-Wise Box Office Collection
| Day | Earnings (in Rs crore) |
| Day 1 | 50 Lakh |
| Day 2 | 50 Lakh |
| Total | 1 Crore |
While the film remains a global phenomenon, its weak legs in India highlight the market’s preference for action-driven, spectacle-heavy Hollywood fare. The re-release, instead of reigniting interest, has reinforced Dune’s status as a franchise that struggles to resonate with Indian audiences.
For whatever it's worth, Dune 3, based on Herbert's tomb Dune Messiah, is in the works and is eyeing a 2026 release.
Dune Part Two: All You Need To Remember From The First Movie Before You Watch The Highly-Anticipated Sequel
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