This week, it was announced that Dune: Part Two was going to be delayed to March of 2024. The movie was previously expected to be released on November 3rd on 2023, but was pushed back due to the current 2023 Writers Strike and SAG-AFTRA strike that has affected almost all Hollywood productions. The decision was a devastating one, with many fans taking to social media to express their frustration with the delay.
Provisions under the SAG strike bar actors from promoting their material, and therefore will negatively affect projects being released during the strike. While the duration of the strike is still unknown, Warner Bros. decided to push Dune: Part 2 just in case the strike goes into November. Its an understandable move, as the all-star cast of Dune 2 may be instrumental in making the sci-fi sequel a hit. Even though many saw this coming, and rumors of the second Dune installment being delayed have been swirling, this didn’t stop the announcement from being upsetting for fans. One fan decided to express their frustration by tweeting a video of actors simultaneously screaming:
me reading dune was delayed pic.twitter.com/2H80hp2gkxAugust 24, 2023
Another fan expressed a similar emotion to the delay, this time with a video of Ryan Gosling screaming in Blade Runner 2049. It’s a fitting reference as Dune Part 2 and the Blade Runner sequel share a director in Denis Villeneuve. You can see that tweet below:
Dune: Part Two delayed its so over pic.twitter.com/YZFvWImbNlAugust 24, 2023
Some fans used Dune quotes to express their sadness, including one about the cruelty of the world being blamed for the film being pushed back. You can see the tweet below:
Dune Pt. II delayed to 2024 pic.twitter.com/ceKGnjwwfvAugust 24, 2023
It seems like there’s been a lot of sad news on Twitter, as one fan also found out about the passing of WWE star Bray Wyatt at the same time.
Just woke up and remembered Bray Wyatt passed away & Dune: Part Two moved to 2024 pic.twitter.com/iCHXG3sWVvAugust 25, 2023
Many have been disappointed by a lot of movies being delayed, and Dune Part 2 was the last big movie to look forward to this year. A fan tweeted:
dune part 2 is delayed there’s absolutely no hollywood movies to look forward to for the rest of the year pic.twitter.com/o1kfIVrotGAugust 25, 2023
Dune 2 is one of the biggest movies delayed because of the ongoing Hollywood strikes, but it is far from the only one. Zendaya’s latest film Challengers was also delayed until next March, and Deadpool 3 has been pushed out due to not being able to complete filming. Many more movies are likely to pull their release dates this fall if the strike continues. This could result in a very sparse Oscars season, as many of the buzzy awards films could be pushed to next year. Promotion for movies is essential to getting eyes on a film, and without this promotion, it may just be safer for the studios to delay.
Dune Part 2 being delayed could be a signifier that a lot of big movies may decide to push. As of right now, Aquaman 2, Marvels, and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes all are continuing to hold their 2023 release dates, however that could change if Hollywood creatives strike throughout Autumn. Moving a release schedule is a big decision, but it could be a necessity until negotiations with the unions reach an agreed upon deal.
The strike will continue to affect productions throughout Hollywood, as well as the 2023 movie release schedule, so we will continue to follow the changing release dates and fallout of the work stoppage. In the meantime, fans of the sci-fi epic can revisit the first Dune film, which is streaming now with a Max subscription.
