Dune: Part Two, which released in cinemas this weekend, is the definition of a cinematic experience. Seated in a packed-out cinema, I was mesmerized by the film’s masterful balance of the themes, gripping storyline, and stunning visuals that fill its almost three-hour run time. With this film, director Denis Villeneuve has crafted a sci-fi epic that feels destined to become one of the defining pieces of cinema of this decade. You can watch the trailer for the film below:
The experience was no doubt enhanced by the fact I saw the film in a near full cinema, with only a few empty seats in the house. There was something special about the collective experience, sharing in the moment and in the awe that the film inspired with a room full of fellow moviegoers. This made me reflect on my experience watching Part Two’s predecessor, the first instalment in the franchise, Dune.
The world was in a very different place back when the first film released. Few will need reminding that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions were put in place that forced cinemas to temporarily close. This took a huge financial toll on cinemas, with Cineworld, the world’s second largest cinema chain, making a record £2.2bn loss in 2020. It is no surprise then that cinemas were eager to reopen their doors as soon as possible. In 2021, with cinemas allowed to reopen, restrictions easing, and a slate of blockbuster films set to release that year, theatre owners were optimistic moviegoing would return in full swing.
However, the pandemic saw the adoption of emerging digital technologies that opened new avenues to distribute and monetize content in the film industry. One such avenue being the simultaneous release, a new model of film distribution that several film studios adopted during the pandemic. In short, this is where a film is released both in cinemas and on a streaming service on the same day.
So how does this link back to Dune? Well, in a then unprecedented move, Warner Bros. announced in 2020 that their entire cinematic slate for 2021 would use this simultaneous release model, with 17 films hitting the studio’s streaming service HBO Max on the same day that they released in cinemas. This decision stirred massive controversy among theatre owners and filmmakers, upsetting a model of film distribution that had been in place for decades. Included amongst this 17-film slate was Dune, the decision to release the film on HBO Max enraging director Denis Villeneuve, who claimed it showed “no love for cinema”. Warner Bros. claimed this move was only temporary and was intended to provide an alternative option for consumers who did not yet feel safe to return to the cinema, but this did little to ease the concerns of struggling cinema owners and disheartened filmmakers.
The result of this decision was a decline in cinema attendance, with consumers favouring watching new films on a streaming service rather than going to the cinema. A survey found that 49% of individuals, who were considered regular pre-pandemic moviegoers, no longer went to the movies like they used to. Speaking from my own experience, you could almost feel this decline in film attendance when watching the first Dune movie. Watching the film in an almost empty cinema, where only 3 other groups felt the need to experience the similarly awe-inspiring first Dune film on the big screen, pales in comparison to my experience of watching Part Two, where I was surrounded by fellow moviegoers who were just as gripped by the film’s grandeur as I was.
Thankfully, due to COVID-19 restrictions now having been eased, Warner Bros. have ended their distribution of films through the simultaneous release model. Recently, they signed a deal requiring them to release their movies exclusively in cinemas for a minimum of 45 days. This has meant that Dune: Part Two is currently playing exclusively in cinemas, a release model that Denis Villeneuve has much preferred. You can see his comments on his more positive experience releasing the second film below:
Dune: Part Two has also been massively successful at the box office, raking in $178 million globally in its opening weekend alone, far outperforming its predecessor. This is a hugely positive sign for cinemas, who will get to keep around 50% of the profit from these ticket sales. What this shows is a willingness from audience members to return to the cinema and a renewed interest in experiencing films on the big screen following the pandemic. Hopefully this trend continues, and the cinema industry can fully recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that hit it so hard.
My experience of watching Dune: Part Two also shows that cinemas can still create a shared experience, a sort of “grand cultural happening” as Rubin puts it, something that streaming services simply cannot replicate. It is vital that cinemas and the cinematic experience are protected because, as Villeneuve himself states:
“Cinema on the big screen is more than a business, it is an art form that brings people together, celebrating humanity, enhancing our empathy for one another — it’s one of the very last artistic, in-person collective experiences we share as human beings”.
Denis Villeneuve (2020)
To quote Villeneuve one last time, “Long live theatrical cinema!”
All images and media are used under fair usage for educational purposes.
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