4 reasons why Dune: Part Two's re-release is struggling in India

It’s no secret that Dune: Part Two did not have an outstanding run when it was initially released in India in March last year. The sci-fi movie starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya and Javier Bardem only collected Rs 31 crores net at the Indian box office. However, the film did extremely well at the box office in North America and other parts of the world.

Did Dune: Part Two’s rerelease fail to attract Indian audiences?

Dune: Part Two opened to $82.50 million at the US box office and collected $282.14 million in its entire run. Dune 2 was re-released in India on March 14 in the IMAX theaters for a week, but this time around, things look even bleaker for the Denis Villeneuve film based on the series by Frank Herbert. Dune: Part Two is still facing challenges in India, with its re-release on the second day only managing to earn Rs 50 lakh, similar to its opening day figures. There could be a few reasons this worldwide blockbuster is struggling to rake in crores in the Indian market.

No superheroes or comic book connection 

A significant issue is the Indian audience's limited enthusiasm for Hollywood films that do not involve superheroes and/or are based on manga, comic books or even young adult books. Despite being a visual spectacle, Dune’s sequel may not attract all kinds of cinemagoers, especially since Dune: Part Two did not focus on strong marketing efforts in India. The lack of promotional activity during both its original and re-release phases contributed to low visibility for the film.

Competition is an issue

This week film lovers have a number of options to choose from, be it John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat, Chhava which is still going strong after 30 days, Sohum Shah’s Crazxy, Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 and the rereleased Aamir Khan films such as Dhoom 3, Dil Chahta Hai, Dangal etc. Besides, most people simply may not know Dune: Part Two has released one again unless they spend some time on booking apps.

The film’s core fans have already seen it

Dune the franchise is too big to ignore and most viewers who saw the first film would want to see the sequel especially if they’re fans. If they have seen Dune: Part Two once during its original run they may not want to shell out the money to catch it again when they can simply rewatch it on streaming platforms. And for those who never watched the movie at all, the context-heavy sequel may not appeal to them as much.

Interstellar is also running!

For sci-fi lovers, it’s hardly a dilemma. Anyone who’s seen Interstellar (which is probably everyone at this point) will probably pick this Christopher Nolan gem over Dune: Part Two. The re-release of Interstellar proved to be a huge hit in India, earning nearly Rs 20 crore within the first few days of screenings, which makes sense considering the strong popularity of Nolan's films. In its original release in 2014, the movie generated close to Rs 30 crore. As it stands now, the film's total worldwide box office earnings are approximately USD 759 million (around Rs 662.3 crore).