Dune: Part Two, the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic Dune from 2021, has been delayed by Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment amid the ongoing strikes by actors and writers in Hollywood.
The film, which stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, and Oscar Isaac, was originally slated for release on November 3rd of this year, but will now hit theaters on March 15, 2024.
The decision comes as the major studios and streaming platforms have failed to reach a fair contract with the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which have been on strike since July and May respectively.
The striking unions are demanding better residual payments, transparency with viewership data, and updated protections against the advent of artificial intelligence within the industry.
The strike not only prevents actors and writers from working but also from promoting new projects, which could affect the box office performance of big-budget films like Dune: Part Two.
Warner Bros. confirmed that while Dune: Part Two has been pushed, its other major upcoming releases – Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Wonka, and The Color Purple – are still slated to be released later this year, in December.