The wait for “Dune” just got a bit longer.
Warner Bros. has delayed the sci-fi epic by three weeks, putting it at Oct. 22. It was previously set for Oct. 1.
The delay was part of a larger release date shuffle by Warner Bros. on Friday. “The Many Saints of Newark” was pushed back one week, taking the original spot held by “Dune.” The “Sopranos” prequel will now launch on Oct. 1, a week later than its previous date of Sept. 24.
The shuffle also affected Clint Eastwood’s upcoming film “Cry Macho,” which was bumped up one month after “Dune” took its previous spot. “Cry Macho” will now release on Sept. 17, three weeks ahead of its prior date of Oct. 22.
This is the latest delay for “Dune,” directed by Denis Villeneuve. The highly anticipated film was originally set for Dec. 18, 2020, before being punted nearly a year to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The A-list cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem. The film tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. The movie will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Coincidentally, “Dune’s” new release date falls on the same day as “The French Dispatch;” both films star Chalamet.
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“The Many Saints of Newark” stars Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, Michela De Rossi, John Magaro, Ray Liotta and Vera Farmiga. Michael Gandolfini will play a young version of his father’s iconic character, Tony Soprano. The film is set in the explosive era of the Newark riots, when rival gangsters began to rise up, challenging the all-powerful DiMeo crime family’s hold over the city.
Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, “Cry Macho” follows a one-time rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder who, in 1978, takes a job from an ex-boss to bring the man’s young son home and away from his alcoholic mom. Crossing rural Mexico on their back way to Texas, the unlikely pair faces an unexpectedly challenging journey, during which the world-weary horseman may find his own sense of redemption through teaching the boy what it means to be a good man.
In late 2020, Warner Bros. made the bombshell decision to release its entire 2021 slate of films simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max for a limited time. These films, including upcoming releases like “The Suicide Squad” and “The Matrix 4” are still expected to follow that release plan.