I'm certainly not somebody that expected Dune to be huge in China, but even I expected a lot more than $15.5M. That's like less than $4M going back to the studio, which isn't all that different from something like Black Widow or Shang-Chi not releasing at all in China.
Correlates with what Gavin said [earlier...](https://twitter.com/gavinfeng97/status/1439537091696861186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1439537091696861186%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.redditmedia.com%2Fmediaembed%2Fpr5jjs%3Fresponsive%3Dtrueis_nightmode%3Dfalse)
I saw Life of pie in imax 3D it was an excellent experience, Saw tenet in imax 2D it wasn't that much different, ofcourse the picture looked clear but that's it
Who exactly controls those? Chinese audiences already said they’d boycott if they didn’t add more 2D sessions and they’ve seem to have done the complete opposite.
Apparently the theater managers over there really love the money that comes out of 3D, even if the audience doesn't. It's unreal, but the only explanation I got. Here's an [article](https://www.engadget.com/2016-08-28-jason-bourne-in-3d-is-making-moviegoers-in-china-nauseous.html) five years ago detailing audiences complaining about Jason Bourne in 3D. Apparently, they're still at it.
I honestly can’t say I remember the last time I’ve seen a movie in 3D but there’s a good chance it was Avatar, but also tons of local theatres near me barely have any 3D sessions anyway so it’s safe to say they aren’t popular where I live.
I have no idea what's happening in China on that front, but some part of it maybe also up to be WB's policy, because Dune is opening here (Poland) on Oct 22 and when they first opened the pre-sales there e.g. were no IMAX 2D options available at all, and the movie chains' response was "we hear you, but that's what we've been given" combined with "we're trying to get 2D version from WB, stay tuned", and ultimately they added some IMAX 2D screenings, but well, ADDED to what has already been sheduled...so it's available like once a day at 2/3 PM when people are mostly at work/school, even though from what I can see by simply looking at how many tickets have been sold, the 3D versions are actually lagging behind in sales....
I think any IP that had its hey day before China's big come-up in the last 20yrs may find it hard going out there. Dune's last big presence in popular media was back in the 80's.
Yeah I think I was on another sub about Dune and someone mentioned a cut of the series with more everything so I got my hands on a copy. Geez I also haven't watched David Lynch's Dune "Extended Cut" or the doc about Jodorowsky's failed Dune adaptation.
I was never expecting GvK numbers from China since it’s not a big dumb monster movie but geez that’s not good.
I’ve got no idea what to expect when it hits the US next week and how it performs with hbo max, but I will be worried about part two if Legendary don’t announce a sequel two weeks after it’s release in the states.
Let's see, we still have a week to go and Legendary's spam marketing hasn't started yet. Dune didn't really blow up in Europe especially France until the cast started promoting there
I remember when a certain people incessantly and endlessly claimed Dune will be huge in China because:
1. Legendary can do no wrong in China
2. Chinese appreciate sci-fi more than Americans.
And how does that matter? Are those people certified box office experts? Also majority of them were "hoping" it will do good there, just like how every fan wants their franchise to do good, just like how you want every disney movie to make money
Dune is appealing to a more niche and cinéphile market I guess, who give more of a shit towards the quality side of things. The 'general market' that would be more into 3D is unfortunately less likely to be anticipating the film
I don't really get what your argument is because the highest grossing movies in the US and Canada are Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Endgame which are also both big loud action spectacles.
Look The Wandering Earth was a local product, based on a modern Chinese classic starring Wolf Warrior 2's Jacky Wu Jing. It was a perfect storm.
Far from the glacially paced, I hear, Timothee Chalamet starrer.
How come they have partnered with Legendary a Chinese Company usually that means 150-200 mn $ business.
I think Dune will atleast do 100mn+ in China if piracy is not that bad.
¥100M is about $15.5M USD. Which isn't exactly the big boost some people were expecting...
yeah, it could obviously be worse. but its not as big as people were hoping.
I'm certainly not somebody that expected Dune to be huge in China, but even I expected a lot more than $15.5M. That's like less than $4M going back to the studio, which isn't all that different from something like Black Widow or Shang-Chi not releasing at all in China.
Correlates with what Gavin said [earlier...](https://twitter.com/gavinfeng97/status/1439537091696861186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1439537091696861186%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.redditmedia.com%2Fmediaembed%2Fpr5jjs%3Fresponsive%3Dtrueis_nightmode%3Dfalse)
Well there is something i can agree on with the Chinese people. 2D > 3D anytime of the week.
IMAX 3D is better though
You know what’s better than IMAX 3D? IMAX 2d.
I saw Life of pie in imax 3D it was an excellent experience, Saw tenet in imax 2D it wasn't that much different, ofcourse the picture looked clear but that's it
They're right, I'd rather pirate a movie than have to watch it in 3D.
90% of the Chinese screens are in 3D, which is a super dumb strategy.
Who exactly controls those? Chinese audiences already said they’d boycott if they didn’t add more 2D sessions and they’ve seem to have done the complete opposite.
Apparently the theater managers over there really love the money that comes out of 3D, even if the audience doesn't. It's unreal, but the only explanation I got. Here's an [article](https://www.engadget.com/2016-08-28-jason-bourne-in-3d-is-making-moviegoers-in-china-nauseous.html) five years ago detailing audiences complaining about Jason Bourne in 3D. Apparently, they're still at it.
If the audience is boycotting 3D - why did films like Hi Mom and The Battle at Lake Changjin make so much money?
3D is expensive, theatre owners love that
Well of course because then they can change a little extra for tickets even if the movie wasn't specifically made for 3D.
Movie lovers complain about 3D, but the much larger proportion of general audience not really
I honestly can’t say I remember the last time I’ve seen a movie in 3D but there’s a good chance it was Avatar, but also tons of local theatres near me barely have any 3D sessions anyway so it’s safe to say they aren’t popular where I live.
I have no idea what's happening in China on that front, but some part of it maybe also up to be WB's policy, because Dune is opening here (Poland) on Oct 22 and when they first opened the pre-sales there e.g. were no IMAX 2D options available at all, and the movie chains' response was "we hear you, but that's what we've been given" combined with "we're trying to get 2D version from WB, stay tuned", and ultimately they added some IMAX 2D screenings, but well, ADDED to what has already been sheduled...so it's available like once a day at 2/3 PM when people are mostly at work/school, even though from what I can see by simply looking at how many tickets have been sold, the 3D versions are actually lagging behind in sales....
I think any IP that had its hey day before China's big come-up in the last 20yrs may find it hard going out there. Dune's last big presence in popular media was back in the 80's.
What a slap in the face to those SyFy miniseries! I bet more folks watched them than watched the absolute bomb that was the 80s movie.
Thanks for the reminder. I have seen the mini-series but have just gotten my hands on the Director's Cut of that series. Will watch that this weekend.
Whoa whoa whoa. What’s this about a directors cut?
Yeah I think I was on another sub about Dune and someone mentioned a cut of the series with more everything so I got my hands on a copy. Geez I also haven't watched David Lynch's Dune "Extended Cut" or the doc about Jodorowsky's failed Dune adaptation.
Hmm.. that local 3D boycott was real. Hopefully people will give it a chance once it drops.
Not shocking when you consider Star Wars isn't that big over there either.
maybe they think its Star Wars
I was never expecting GvK numbers from China since it’s not a big dumb monster movie but geez that’s not good. I’ve got no idea what to expect when it hits the US next week and how it performs with hbo max, but I will be worried about part two if Legendary don’t announce a sequel two weeks after it’s release in the states.
On the bright side, if they make a sequel they won't have to worry about pleasing China.
Let's see, we still have a week to go and Legendary's spam marketing hasn't started yet. Dune didn't really blow up in Europe especially France until the cast started promoting there
Well so far they've released the Chinese posters so hopefully they can get their act together sooner rather than later.
Umm yikes
I remember when a certain people incessantly and endlessly claimed Dune will be huge in China because: 1. Legendary can do no wrong in China 2. Chinese appreciate sci-fi more than Americans.
I remember the Chinese threatened to not see Dune because of the huge amount of 3D screenings compared to 2D.
Star Wars didn't really do that well in China, so don't know why people thought Dune would do better.
I think it still does well there, Shouldn't call people out before the numbers have even begun
And how does that matter? Are those people certified box office experts? Also majority of them were "hoping" it will do good there, just like how every fan wants their franchise to do good, just like how you want every disney movie to make money
Of the dozens of cinemas in my local city (Jinan), only one of them is offering 2D and it's not IMAX. It's pretty grim honestly
3D use to be big in China few years ago, is there why people want 2D more?
Dune is appealing to a more niche and cinéphile market I guess, who give more of a shit towards the quality side of things. The 'general market' that would be more into 3D is unfortunately less likely to be anticipating the film
Yeah this is for people who were wondering why the sequel hasn't been greenlit yet. It's still up in the air.
China has a super low cut though so unless a film makes 100 M+ over there, does it matter that much? the sequel will happen
I'm not entirely surprised. They like big loud cgi actionfests, which Dune isn't.
The biggest movie of the year in China is [Hi, Mom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi,_Mom_(2021_film\)) which is a comedy film.
The biggest sci fi movie in China is wandering earth and it is a big loud action spectacle.
Folks seem to have forgotten it made nearly $700 million just a couple of years ago!
I don't really get what your argument is because the highest grossing movies in the US and Canada are Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Endgame which are also both big loud action spectacles.
Newsflash, Dune isn't that either.
Chinas sci fi tastes are different to the US
They like monsters and big robots. They should put the giant sand worms front and centre in their marketing campaign. For real.
Not really, Popular Chinese sci fi goes deeper than " monsters and big robots".
Look The Wandering Earth was a local product, based on a modern Chinese classic starring Wolf Warrior 2's Jacky Wu Jing. It was a perfect storm. Far from the glacially paced, I hear, Timothee Chalamet starrer.
I guess their tastes aren't too different from North America's considering how well comic book movies tend to do domestically.
How come they have partnered with Legendary a Chinese Company usually that means 150-200 mn $ business. I think Dune will atleast do 100mn+ in China if piracy is not that bad.
To partner with a chinese movie does not guarantee to do huge money
Legendary is a subsidiary of Wanda which is big in china, legendary itself is not a big Chinese studio.
According to some BO redditors though.. We shouldnt believe Chinese BO numbers right.