By Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer
"Dune" isn't done.
Legendary Entertainment announced Tuesday that Denis Villeneuve's "Dune," which adapts the first half of Frank Herbert's 1965 science-fiction epic, will get a sequel. Whether that would be the case had been an unanswered question throughout the film's release, which was delayed a year by the pandemic and ultimately debuted both in theaters and on HBO Max.
Warner Bros. Chairman Toby Emmerich said the studio will release "Dune: Part II" in October 2023. This time, the release is expected to be exclusively in theaters. Arguing that "Dune" belonged to the big screen, Villeneuve had protested passionately when Warner Bros. turned to hybrid releases for all of its 2021 films due to the pandemic.
But Villeneuve had lobbied hard for a sequel to "Dune," which he has said is easily the best movie he's made. It stars Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa and Zendaya. Some actors, like Zendaya, would potentially have a larger role in part two.
"This is only the beginning," said Villeneuve in a statement.
Over the weekend, "Dune" launched with a solid $40.1 million in ticket sales in U.S. and Canada theaters. "Dune," a 155-minute $165-million movie that introduces itself as "Part 1," has thus far grossed $225 million worldwide.
Civil rights groups call on major corporations to stick with DEI programs
A broad group of civil rights organizations called on the CEOs and board members of major companies Thursday to maintain their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have come under attack online and in lawsuits.
An open letter signed by 19 organizations and directed at the leaders of Fortune 1000 companies said companies that abandon their DEI programs are shirking their fiduciary responsibility to employees, consumers and shareholders.
The civil rights groups included the NAACP, the National Organization for Women, the League of United Latin American Citizens, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
"Diversity, equity and inclusion programs, policies, and practices make business-sense and they're broadly popular among the public, consumers, and employees," their statement read. "But a small, well-funded, and extreme group of right-wing activists is attempting to pressure companies into abandoning their DEI programs."
Companies such as Ford, Lowes, John Deere, Molson Coors and Harley-Davidson recently announced they would pull back on their diversity, equity and inclusion policies after facing pressure from conservative activists who were emboldened by recent victories in the courtroom.
Many major corporations have been examining their diversity programs in the wake of a Supreme Court decision last year that declared race-based affirmative action programs in college admissions unconstitutional. Dozens of cases have been filed making similar arguments about employers. Critics of DEI programs say the initiatives provide benefits to people of one race or sexual orientation while excluding others.
In their letter, the civil rights organizations, which also included... Read More