by Conan Simmons – June 26, 2021 – 10:05 pm
After the year 2020 and all of the countless movie releases being delayed, changed or otherwise scrapped, now comes word out of Hollywood about upcoming releases for this year.
Specifically, the long awaited sci-fi epic from director Denis Villeneuve ‘Dune’, starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista and Oscar Isaac, which has been set for release on October 22 with day-and-date streaming on HBO Max.
That’s not the only Timothée Chalamet film set to open October 22.
Wes Anderson’s latest, ‘The French Dispatch’, will also hit theaters starring the actor alongside Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody and Saoirse Ronan.
If that’s not enough for moviegoers, Edgar Wright’s latest twisted thriller ‘Last Night in Soho’ starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin McKenzie and Matt Smith is also set for October 22.
And then there’s ‘Jackass 4’, just in case cinema’s are lacking in thought provoking films on that day.
The move by the studio’s to push ‘Dune’ later in October is to not overlap with the upcoming release of the 007 thriller ‘No Time to Die’. However, streaming on the same day bodes ill for the sci-fi epic.
The original 1984 film flopped at the box office. Directed by the legendary Alan Smithee (after David Lynch disowned the film) and starring Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart and Sting, the movie went on to become a cult movie but never recovered its budget. As Denis Villeneuve’s last film, ‘Blade Runner 2049’ did well at the box office it didn’t make number one at the box office or break even financially. It also wasn’t streaming day-and-date. One thing it has in common with ‘Dune’ is the original 1982 ‘Blade Runner’ also flopped at the box office and became a cult movie.
This makes it even harder for ‘Dune’ to make money when it’s main star is starring in an equally anticipated film from another highly popular director alongside an all-star cast. ‘The French Dispatch’ may or may not hit number one at the box office but it does have the potential and will most assuredly make its money back and then some from theater grosses.
Unless it releases opposite ‘Last Night in Soho’, an equally anticipated film from a popular director and newly minted movie star Anya Taylor-Joy. ‘Last Night in Soho’ definitely has potential to take the top spot at theaters and, like it’s competition ‘The French Dispatch’, will turn a profit.
I fully expect word to break within a month that releases schedules for at least one of these films to change. Most likely ‘Dune’ or ‘The French Dispatch’ will shift dates to a more friendly awards season run.
Until that happens, the only real winner in this is ‘Jackass 4’.
