Warner Bros/Legendary Entertainment’s highly anticipated sequel, Dune: Part Two, has made a powerful debut at the international box office. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film was released in 13 markets on Wednesday and emerged as the number one Hollywood film in each of these markets, grossing $5.2 million for the day. Including previews, the film has accumulated a total of $7.6 million overseas as of yesterday.
Among the release markets on Wednesday were France, Italy, and Korea. In France, Dune: Part Two has already amassed $2.3 million, including previews. The film has received an exceptional rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from audiences on Allociné, with critics giving it a solid 4.1 rating. When considering previews, the film’s performance is on par with The Batman, surpassing Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One by 27%, Villeneuve’s previous Dune adaptation by 44%, and Oppenheimer by an impressive 63%. In terms of admissions, the film’s Imax results are 65% higher than Oppenheimer. Furthermore, when factoring in the Tuesday previews in France, Dune: Part Two’s Imax performance even surpasses that of Avatar: The Way of Water.
In Korea, where the local film Exhuma is also drawing significant attention, Dune: Part Two opened at number two with $1.2 million on Wednesday. This marks a remarkable 108% increase compared to the first Dune film and a staggering 385% surge compared to Blade Runner 2049. Additionally, it stands as the biggest opening day for both lead actor Timothée Chalamet and director Denis Villeneuve. Notably, it also achieved the highest Imax opening day for a Warner Bros title. As of Thursday, the film has grossed $2.1 million in Korea.
Meanwhile, in Taiwan, Dune: Part Two dominated the market on Wednesday, capturing a 62% market share with $892,000. This opening day performance surpasses Villeneuve’s Oppenheimer by 107%, The Batman by 172%, and the first Dune film by an impressive 229%. The film has been warmly received by both critics and fans, and advance ticket sales for the upcoming days are showing great promise.
Italy, which is experiencing a positive resurgence overall, also embraced Dune: Part Two on Wednesday. The film claimed a 58% share of the top five films, surpassing the first Dune film by 4% and Mission: Impossible 7 by 32%. The movie has garnered positive reviews from critics and fans alike, and advance ticket sales for the coming days are looking promising.
In Sweden, the film had an early start with $546,000, capturing a dominant 74% share of the top five films. Imax screenings accounted for 12% of the box office revenue. Dune: Part Two has also outperformed all comparable films in the market.
On Thursday, the film was released in an additional 42 markets, including Germany, Australia, and all of Latin America. On Friday, it will open in 16 more markets, including Spain and the UK, bringing the total number of markets to 71 by the end of the weekend.
The success of Dune: Part Two at the international box office is a testament to its highly anticipated status and the strong fan base it has garnered. With its stunning visuals, captivating storyline, and stellar performances from its cast, including Timothée Chalamet, the film is poised to continue its impressive run at the box office. As more markets release the film in the coming days, it will be interesting to see how Dune: Part Two fares and whether it can maintain its position as a leading Hollywood film worldwide. Stay tuned for further updates on the film’s international box office performance.