‘Dune’ debuts in US with $17.5M Friday haul at box office

The film adaptation of “Dune” opened atop the U.S. box office on Friday with $17.5 million from 4,125 theaters, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

>> Read more trending news

The film, based on Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel of the same day, also launched simultaneously on HBO Max in the U.S., the website reported. Box offices numbers through Saturday topped $40 million, according to Variety.

The plot of “Dune” centers on a group of aristocratic dynasties warring for control of a desert planet that contains a valuable natural resource, called “spice,” according to Variety. The film cost $165 million to make and stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem.

“Dune” began playing earlier this month overseas, earning $130 million-plus to date from select markets, according to The Hollywood Reporter. On Friday, it opened to $6 million in China and earned $9.7 million on Saturday for a two-day total of $15.7 million.

WarnerMedia chairperson Ann Sarnoff told Variety that the studio will take HBO Max viewership numbers into account in its decision to back a sequel.

©2021 Cox Media Group