Dune 2 And Aquaman 2 Hit With Last-Minute Delay From Warner Bros?
As the battle for fair wages and decent living conditions wears on in the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, Hollywood has some rethinking to do when it comes to a handful of its upcoming projects. Initially set for a release in early November, Warner Bros. Film Group may be pushing Dune 2 into the next year with the studio also making similar decisions with Aquaman 2 and The Color Purple.
Variety reports that when it comes to Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi sequel, the decision isn’t completely up to Warner Bros. as it’s made in partnership with Legendary Entertainment, and both studios must give the go-ahead to push the title back.
Warner Bros. is considering pushing back the release dates of both Dune 2 and Aquaman 2 because of the ongoing strikes in Hollywood.
If both Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros. were to decide that Dune 2 will receive a new release date, steps would then be taken for both sides to agree on when that would be. In the original report from Variety, a source said that as of right now, there shouldn’t be too much worry surrounding the project’s later release with Warner Bros. not yet reaching out to Legendary Entertainment for negotiations.
As for Aquaman 2 and The Color Purple, the sources claim that Warner Bros. is seriously thinking about shuffling the two titles around, even going so far as to begin looking at new dates.
Why Would The Movie Release Dates Be Pushed Back?
Part of Warner Bros.’s thought process behind pushing Dune 2, Aquaman 2, and The Color Purple is because, as per union rules, actors are unable to take part in promotional tours during the strike. Even a film as big as Dune 2 would be dealt a severe box office blow should its leading cast, which includes the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, and Javier Bardem, not be able to partake in press junkets.
The same is true for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom which boasts a lineup including Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Emilia Clarke, Nicole Kidman, and Patrick Wilson as well as the Halle Bailey-led The Color Purple.
Other studios, including Disney, Lionsgate, and Sony’s Columbia Pictures label could also find themselves in hot water with their release schedules.
While the studios caught heat recently for saying that they were prepared to let writers lose their homes before renegotiating, being forced to move dates for blockbusters like Dune 2, Aquaman 2, and The Color Purple would be a major gut-punch to those at the top. It’s likely known by the picketers that this is one of the cards they hold in their decks and something they can use as a bargaining chip against the studios.
Along with those three titles, other studios including Disney, Lionsgate, and Sony’s Columbia Pictures label could also find themselves in hot water with their release schedules with films including The Marvels, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and Napoleon all set to come out before the end of the year.
Time will be the only determiner of how the turmoil in Hollywood will shake out over the next few weeks with the picket lines growing by the day with not only members of the union but also those showing their solidarity. With films like Dune 2 and Aquaman 2 possibly facing delayed releases, it isn’t a good sign for the studios’ wallets.
