'Dune: Part Two' Pushed Back To March 2024 Due To Ongoing Strikes, 'Godzilla' Sequel Also Delayed

"Dune: Part Two," the highly anticipated sequel to 2021's Oscar-nominated "Dune," has seen its release date pushed back. Variety reports that the film will now see its theatrical release bow on March 15, pushing it back from its originally scheduled November 3, 2023 release. The delayed release date is a result of the ongoing strikes facing the entertainment industry, with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and actors guild (SAG-AFTRA) in a labor dispute against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), representing the studios.

As previously reported by The Blast, in October 2022, Warner Bros. had previously moved the release date up from November 17, 2023 to November 3 of that year. Now, the film is no longer releasing in 2023 at all. Warner Bros. is likely being cautious. While the sci-fi sequel, based on the classic novel by author Frank Herbert, had wrapped filming last year, under the current strike rules, actors are not able to promote their projects.

That means any promotional tour plans for "Dune: Part Two" in the fall would not feature any of the film's main stars, such as Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, who has a huge following on social media. Zendaya has 184 million followers on Instagram and close to 21 million followers on Twitter.  Granted, if the SAG-AFTRA strike continues into next year, that means Warner Bros. Discovery might have to go ahead and move forward with the new release date without the actors joining a promotional tour unless they delay the film again to gain more room for the strikes to be resolved.

Warner Bros. and producing partner Legendary Entertainment reportedly had to agree on a new release date before the 2024 announcement was made. Warner Bros. was said to have been eyeing a move for the film last month.

The moves would suggest there will not be any solution to the two guild strikes anytime soon. This is the first time both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have been on strike at the same time since 1960. The WGA has been on strike since early May. Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA declared its strike on July 14. While the WGA and AMPTP did resume talks earlier this month, it appears they are not any closer to reaching a new agreement.

Additionally, due to the move for "Dune," another major Legendary and Warner Bros. tentpole has been moved to a different date. "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," the sequel to 2021's "Godzilla vs. Kong," has been pushed back from March 14 to April 12, since "Dune: Part Two" is taking its original slot. The film is the latest installment of the Legendary "Monsterverse," featuring such iconic movie monsters as Godzilla, Kong, Rodan, and Mothra. Variety also notes that the expectation is the timing of both films' releases will provide room for the films to succeed among audiences over Spring Break and the Easter holiday.

Warner Bros. was also said to be looking at release date shifts for other major releases in December, including "The Color Purple" on December 25 and "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" on December 20. For, the studio appears to be keeping the release dates intact for both films.

Other films that have seen major release delays due to the strike are "Kraven the Hunter," the sequel to "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," and "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse;" all from Sony Pictures. Disney and Marvel Studios also have "The Marvels" arriving in theaters on November 10, but it looks like the superhero film is keeping that slot for now. The Disney animated feature, "Wish," is also keeping its release date as well.

"Dune: Part Two" also stars Oscar-nominated "Elvis" star Austin Butler as Feyd, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Christopher Walken as the Padishah Emperor Shaddam Shaddam, Lea Seydoux, Dave Bautista, and Josh Brolin. The first film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. It took home six Oscars. Denis Villeneuve returns to direct the sequel from a script he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts.