Dune Draws $40.1M Opening Weekend Despite Same-Day HBO Max Release
- Dune opened with $40.1 million in North American ticket sales, even though the film was also streaming at home.
- Warner Bros. released the Legendary Entertainment production in theaters and on HBO Max at the same time.
- The studio applied this simultaneous release plan to all of its 2021 films because of the pandemic, and how it would affect Dune was one of the biggest open questions.
- Director Denis Villeneuve vehemently protested the decision.