‘Dune’ Is Still Coming to HBO Max the Same Day As Theaters
Warner Bros. has confirmed that Denis Villeneuve’s Dune will arrive in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day, as originally announced. This release plan was recently brought into question after Deadline reported that Warner Bros. was reversing its decision.
“Dune will not adhere to the day-and-date release pattern established for the entire 2021 slate," wrote the Deadline news article, based on their sources. "Instead, it will premiere in Venice in September and then enter theaters for a time before finding its way to streaming service HBO Max.”
Johanna Fuentes, head of communications at WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group, took to Twitter to set the record straight. She assured fans that the sci-fi epic will come to the streaming platform as soon as the movie hits cinemas:
Production company Legendary has expressed its concerns that such an early streaming release for Dune will impact interest in the franchise over time, as two separate movies are currently planned. Legendary, which financed nearly 75 percent of the film’s budget, had initially tried to challenge Warner Bros.’ release model.
Last December, Villeneuve also penned an essay slamming Warner Bros.’ choice to have his movie come out on home screens as soon as movie screens. “Even though Dune is about cinema and audiences, AT&T is about its own survival on Wall Street,” wrote Villeneuve. “With HBO Max’s launch a failure thus far, AT&T decided to sacrifice Warner Bros.’ entire 2021 slate in a desperate attempt to grab the audience’s attention.”
Dune will debut in theaters and HBO Max on October 1.
Gallery — All The Warner Bros. Movies On HBO Max: