With the summer box office falling below previous years in May, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune 2 continues to sit at the box office throne of 2024. While Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Kung Fu Panda 4 performed well, no movie has managed to get even slightly close to Dune: Part Two, which has left Villeneuve disappointed.
Denis Villeneuve wants more movies to succeed after Dune 2
Denis Villeneuve won the Academy Icon Award at 2024’s Canadian Screen Awards but expressed his displeasure to still be at the top of 2024’s global box office. Per Deadline, he stated that he was “disappointed to still be number one,” but hopes “sooner or later, that this summer box office will be much better.”
He continued:
“I think we need movies that are theatrical experiences, that will fully embrace the power of the theatre, and I’m not just talking about Dune 2. Of course, I’m talking about many movies.”
He praised the movie Civil War claiming that it “absolutely used the power of the theatre.” He was humbled to reach such a large audience with Dune: Part Two, but concluded by wishing “it would happen more often.”
Dune 2 ended its box office run with a worldwide haul of $711.8 million. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire stands strong behind it with $567.5 million, while Kung Fu Panda is third with $541.9 million, as per Box Office Mojo. The closest movies behind them are Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, with $338 million at the time of writing, and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, with $200.8 million.
Despite great critical acclaim, movies including Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Fall Guy performed below expectations. But there are a few movies that could potentially save 2024’s box office.
Could any movie beat Dune: Part Two in 2024?
Deadpool & Wolverine is the only MCU movie to hit theaters in 2024, so it’s one of the most anticipated sequels of the year.
Besides that, other sequels including Inside Out 2, Joker: Folie à Deux, Moana 2, and Venom: The Last Dance could attract an ample audience size, based on the success stories of their predecessors. Mufasa: The Lion King, while a prequel, also falls in the same category.
Lastly, Universal’s Wicked: Part One is another big-budget production with a shot at dethroning Dune 2 at the top of the box office charts.
