The ongoing writer and actor strikes in Hollywood have resulted in Warner Bros. delaying its tentpole 2023 release, Dune: Part 2, back to next year. The possibility was mooted last month, as the strikes impact the ability to effectively market the film. As a result, Dune: Part 2 will now see Paul Atreides leading the Fremen against Emperor Shaddam IV from March 15, 2024.
That date was previously occupied by Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, which will now release a month later, on April 12, 2024 instead. In turn, that’s pushed the animated The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim all the way back to December 13, 2024.
It’s worth noting that, at the moment, Dune: Part 2 is the only film on the holiday slate for Warner Bros. that has been delayed so far. The same report that predicted today’s move also mentioned Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, but that still scheduled for December 20 — for now, at least. Likewise, Wonka and The Color Purple remain in their December 15 and December 25 slots, respectively.
However, there’s still a possibility for more delays, as there still seems to be no end in sight for the strikes. The latest is that the WGA categorically rejected an offer from the AMPTP that the guild claims “wasn’t a meeting to make a deal. This was a meeting to get us to cave, which is why, not 20 minutes after we left the meeting, the AMPTP released its summary of their proposals.”
