JOIN US'Dune' preview: Will the Hollywood biggie live up to expectations at the box office?
The Hollywood biggie Dune is set to hit the screens today (October 22), which has created a fair deal of buzz among cinephiles. The film has been directed by Denis Villeneuve and revolves around what happens when the protagonist and his family find themselves in the middle of a war on a desert planet named Arrakis. So does the science-fiction saga have what it takes to emerge as a blockbuster in India? Here is our SWOT analysis.
Strength: Strong source material
The film is based on Frank Herbert's popular book Dune, which won the inaugural Nebula award for 'Best Novel' and attained cult status. It received rave reviews for its 'unique' plot and strong socio-political undertones. The grand narrative might make for a phenomenal big screen experience if the execution does justice to the source material. Jason Momoa, who plays a key role in the movie, is quite popular in India because of his work in the series Game of Thrones and the superhero film Aquaman. His association with Dune may help it get wider patronage than expected. The production values too appear to be top-notch.
Weakness: Not a franchise
Director Adam Wingard's magnum opus Godzilla vs Kong emerged as a 'monster hit' in India because of the immense popularity of its titular character. F9 and No Time to Die garnered attention as they were a part of the Fast and The Furious saga and the Bond series, respectively. Dune, however, is not really a franchise which may affect its performance in the opening days.
Opportunity: Positive reviews
The film has received favourable reviews from the initial screenings, a clear indication that the content is pretty good. Dune is likely to enjoy a positive word of mouth, which should help it stay strong in urban markets. The Covid-19 situation has improved over the past couple of months and theatres in Maharashtra are set to open from today. Moreover, it is unlikely to face competition from this week's Bollywood release Bhavai as it caters mainly to the Hindi heartland audience.
Threat: Timing
Dune comes at a time when most movie buffs are awaiting the release of Diwali biggies such as Annaatthe, Marvel's Eternals and the Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi. As such, the film may not get the kind of visibility that it could have under different circumstances. It may also face competition from last week's big movie Venom 2. Moreover, Villeneuve's last major release Blade Runner 2049 did not do well in most markets.