‘Dune: Part Two’, ‘Aquaman 2’, and ‘The Color Purple’ Reportedly Being Considered To Be Pushed Back Amid SAG-AFTRA Strike
The SAG-AFTRA strike called last week is already affecting more than projects that are already in production; now studios are already considering imminent changes to their release schedules in fear their stars may not be around for the entire promotional campaign of the titles. In particular, we are learning about Dune: Part Two, The Color Purple, and Aquaman 2 potentially getting pushed back.
This is coming from Variety, which at the same time also pushes back against some of the assertions they make in their own story as some of their sourcing is contradictory. According to three individuals that spoke to the trade, Warner Bros. is strongly considering pushing Dune: Part Two into 2024, as they know that without the support of its star-studded cast, the movie’s box office debut might as well be like a tree falling down in the woods. Another source told Variety that “no formal discussions have been had” but obviously this isn’t something the studio wouldn’t consider down the line. Indirect proof of that is that apparently Legendary hasn’t been informed of anything yet.
Dune: Part Two isn’t coming out until November 3, so there is still time, right? While the movie will not be ready in time for a Venice debut (or TIFF, for that matter), reports suggested earlier this year that Villeneuve’s latest would receive some festival run. New York, London, or Rome come to mind as potential contenders, though none have been announced. (It’s also possible that it might be announced as the closing film for TIFF, though that could be a bit rushed). But that would certainly benefit from having some of the biggest actors today walking the red carpet and taking pictures of their sand-themed dresses (Zendaya’s pictures from Venice 2021 were such an effective marketing tool), which cannot happen under strike rules.
According to Variety, Warner Bros. would also be considering pushing back The Color Purple, a title they were surely hoping would generate some Christmas buzz that would then turn into awards consideration. An awards campaign would be weakened by actors not being able to participate in Q&As and screenings of the movie. The movie is currently set for a December 20 debut.
Meanwhile, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom could also swim into theaters on a new date. This comes right after we learned this week that the film underwent in June its third round of reshoots, with rumors circling wild around the Internet about director James Wan having a nightmarish time putting it together in the edit bay. As The Hollywood Reporter pointed out in their story, Wan found the pace of the first movie very late in the game, so it could be a do-over for him in that regard. It could also be the final nail in the coffin of the soon-to-be former DCEU. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is currently aiming for a December 25 release date, but pushing it back yet again could even be beneficial in the long run.
More stories about other studios considering similar shifts will come soon enough. Interesting and unprecedented times are about to unfold, and we’re probably not quite ready for it yet. If only the executives on top realized they are just hurting themselves.
Miguel Fernández is a Spanish student that has movies as his second passion in life. His favorite movie of all time is The Lord of the Rings, but he is also a huge Star Wars fan. However, fantasy movies are not his only cup of tea, as authors like Scorsese, Fincher, Kubrick or Hitchcock have been an obsession for him since he started to understand the language of filmmaking. He is that guy who will watch a black and white movie, just because it is in black and white.
