Dune becomes latest Hollywood blockbuster to be delayed
The coronavirus pandemic has thrown the release calendar into chaos.
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune is the latest Hollywood blockbuster to experience a release date delay.
The sci-fi epic, which features a star-studded ensemble cast including Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, had been set to arrive in December.
However, the premiere has been pushed back to October 1 next year, according to Dune’s official Twitter account.
It is another blow to the beleaguered cinema industry which is struggling with a dearth of new releases.
Hollywood studios have been deterred from putting out their tentpole releases due to the pandemic. Cinemas closed in March in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.
Cineworld has confirmed plans to temporarily close its theatres in the UK and US due to a lack of new releases. The Regal chain followed suit, while Odeon and Vue have shared their concerns over the situation.
Dune follows James Bond film No Time To Die in vacating its 2020 release slot. Daniel Craig’s 007 swansong is now scheduled to arrive in April instead of November.
One cinema boss called last week’s Bond news a “body blow”.
Hollywood had hoped Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster Tenet would entice customers back into cinemas after months of closures, but ticket sales have been disappointing in the US, where major markets Los Angeles and New York remain closed.
Dune is based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel and also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin and Stellan Skarsgard.
