There was a crowd in front of the Scotiabank cinema in Montreal late Wednesday afternoon. And for good reason: it was premiere night for the highly anticipated Dune: Part Two (Dune, part two), by Denis Villeneuve. Several people had been standing still since 7 a.m., despite the unpredictable weather. When he appeared on the carpet not red, but golden and sparkling like the Spice that emerges on the surface of the Arrakis desert in his film, the Quebec filmmaker was welcomed like a true rock star.
While it is true that part of the crowd had initially come in the hope of cheering and photographing the star of the film, Timothée Chalamet, who had to call in sick at the last minute, the frenzy surrounding attested to one thing: for this audience, the star was Denis Villeneuve. You had to hear the audience chanting “Denis!” Dennis! Dennis! “.
The filmmaker was keen on this special screening in Montreal: the only one in the country for the science fiction blockbuster.
“I told Warner Bros. : I absolutely want a screening in Montreal, reveals Denis Villeneuve. The studio therefore decided to hold the premiere [canadienne] to Montreal. Come and present my film in front of my loved ones, in front of my boyfriends… in front of Quebecers, in short, who are direct, honest, frank people… It’s always the ultimate test. It happened to me that I couldn’t have such a projection here, and that always made me feel like I was lacking. That’s why I insisted. Because it was important to me. »
It is therefore not surprising that Warner Bros. agreed to the director’s request. In fact, the studio is clearly delighted with the film. This is evidenced by a promotional campaign on a scale that we rarely see, accompanied by this marathon of premieres in the four corners of the globe, organized at great expense: London, Paris, Seoul, New York…
“Warner loves the film and believes in it a lot,” confirms Denis Villeneuve.
Producer Tanya Lapointe admits to finding this advertising hype very impressive.
“We worked with the same teams as for the previous film,” she explains. So, beyond marketing, we found people with whom we had already established relationships, people in whom we trusted, and who believed in the film. This resulted in this absolutely… extraordinary campaign. In London, the whole of Leicester Square was invaded by fans, with a 360-degree visual experience… Denis and I were pinching ourselves. The truth is that this is all beyond our control. But we are happy! »
A buzz very strong
The studio’s support is all the more gratifying since at the time of Dune: Part One (Dune), the director ofArrival (The arrival) and of Blade Runner 2049 had no guarantee that a second one would be financed, despite the “ Part One” in the title. We know the rest: six Oscars out of a total of ten nominations, including one for best film. Artistic director Patrice Vermette, also present at the premiere, left victorious in his category.
“I am someone who thrives on challenges, I always want to surpass myself,” confides the latter. I wanted to take this film elsewhere, visually, but while respecting the visual language that we established in the first. »
To continue Patrice Vermette: he began to develop the universe of Dune: Part Two when he learned of his nomination for Dune: Part One.
Still on the subject of this original opus, despite the imposition of a simultaneous release in theaters and on the HBO Max platform in a pandemic context, the film earned more than 430 million US dollars, for a budget of 165 million. The second part, which cost 190 million US dollars, should easily do better.
As for specialized publications like Variety And Deadline, worldwide revenues of approximately US$170 million are expected for the first weekend in theaters alone. Certainly, this is much more about commerce than art, but the fact is that Denis Villeneuve has no choice in being interested in figures, if only if he hopes to adapt the third volume of the saga by Frank Herbert, Dune Messiah (The Messiah of Dune).
“These are expensive films, and which are designed to reach a wide audience – the widest possible,” explains the filmmaker. THE buzz around this film is very, very strong […] A film exists when it is seen. We make films so that they are seen: it would be a lie to pretend otherwise. »
” Seen “, Dune: Part Two should be: good news for Hollywood. Manhandled by the screenwriters’ and actors’ and actresses’ strike, the North American box office is still lagging behind compared to past years. According to predictions, Dune: Part Two could contribute to a beneficial recovery.
“No matter the final amount, Dune: Part Two will give a massive and necessary electric shock to cinemas […] Today, the industry is going through a difficult period, with its revenues down around 18% compared to 2023,” we wrote on Tuesday in Variety.
That’s a lot of pressure for one film. But in fact, it is an exceptional work.
The film Dune: Part Two takes the poster on 1er March.