Hollywood marked its biggest movie premiere of 2024 as
Warner Bros. Discovery’s
Dune: Part Two blew past already-high expectations with domestic box office sales of $81.5 million.
Industry ticket sales are still down 13% from the same period last year, as studios try to overcome the effects of last year’s strikes and the shift from theater attendance to streaming.
Dune sold another $97 million internationally, for a total global weekend take of $178.5 million,
Comscore
said. About 23% of U.S. sales, or $18.5 million, were on
IMAX
screens, the biggest domestic IMAX March opening ever.
Paramount’s
Bob Marley: One Love was second-highest at the box office this weekend, with $7.4 million in domestic sales, while
Lionsgate’s
Ordinary Angels, was third with $3.9 million.
Sony’s
Madame Web was fourth with $3.2 million.
So far this year, Warner Bros.’ Wonka is the top domestic film with sales of $82.3 million, remaining first after its December release, according to Box Office Mojo. Worldwide, Dune surpassed the previous top-grossing film, MGM’s The Beekeeper, which has sold $150.6 million.
Dune, which was delayed for release from November because of the actors’ and writers’ strikes, is kicking off a busy March release calendar. Next Friday’s premieres include Lionsgate’s Imaginary, Universal Pictures’ Kung Fu Panda 4, Universal’s Rayman’s Big Movie, and Angel Studios’ Cabrini.
Write to Janet H. Cho at [email protected]
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