Hollywood recently saw its biggest movie premiere of 2024 as Warner Bros. Discovery’s Dune: Part Two exceeded expectations by raking in an impressive $81.5 million in domestic box office sales. Despite the success, the industry is still facing challenges, with ticket sales down by 13% compared to the same period last year. This decline is attributed to the lingering effects of last year’s strikes and the ongoing shift from in-person theater attendance to streaming services.
Dune Continues to Dominate
Internationally, Dune continued its winning streak by generating an additional $97 million, bringing its total global weekend earnings to $178.5 million, according to Comscore. Notably, 23% of U.S. sales, totaling $18.5 million, came from IMAX screens, making it the most successful domestic IMAX March opening ever.
Other Standouts at the Box Office
Following Dune‘s success, Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love secured the second-highest spot at the box office this weekend with $7.4 million in domestic sales. Lionsgate’s Ordinary Angels took third place with $3.9 million, while Sony’s Madame Web claimed the fourth spot with $3.2 million.
Looking Ahead
Warner Bros.’ Wonka holds the title of the top domestic film so far this year, boasting sales of $82.3 million since its December release, according to Box Office Mojo. On a global scale, Dune has surpassed MGM’s The Beekeeper, previously the top-grossing film, with sales reaching $150.6 million.
A busy March release calendar is on the horizon, with exciting premieres scheduled for next Friday, including Lionsgate’s Imaginary, Universal Pictures’ Kung Fu Panda 4, Universal’s Rayman’s Big Movie, and Angel Studios’ Cabrini.
