An acclaimedDenis Villeneuvesci-fi movie is performing well on Netflix. Villeneuve is an acclaimed Canadian director who became an international sensation with the release of his 2010 French-language featureIncendies. His first English-language feature was the 2013 thrillerPrisoners, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, which kicked off a star-studded run of English-language productions that also includes the 2015 crime dramaSicario, starring Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, and Josh Brolin.
Denis Villeneuve movieshave taken on a variety of genres over the years, but recently he has taken a turn toward science fiction. After helming 2017’sArrival,every movie he has directed since then has been a science fiction title, including the legacy sequelBlade Runner 2049and the Frank Herbert adaptationsDuneandDune: Part Two. This has paid off, as these movies have so far earned the filmmaker his first three Oscar nominations, withArrivalbeing nominated for Best Director andDuneearning nods for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Dune: Part Two Is Dominating A Major Netflix Chart
The 2024 Movie Was A Smash Hit
Villeneuve’sDune: Part Twohas now found new success on Netflix. The second of the director’sDunemovieswas both a critical and commercial smash hit when it premiered in 2024. In addition to grossing $714.4 million worldwide, making it the fifth highest-grossing movie of the year, it has a Certified Fresh 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a Verified Hot 95% audience score. It was also nominated for two Golden Globes, 10 Critics' Choice Awards, and one SAG Award, on top of being shortlisted in three Oscar categories so far.
Dune: Part Twoadapts the second half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name, following Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) facing emotional and moral challenges as he attempts to lead the Fremen in a rebellion on the desert planet Arrakis.
Netflixhas unveiled their Top 10 most-watched English-language movies in the United States for the week of December 30 through January 5.Dune: Part Twohas landed at No. 9 on the chartafter debuting on the platform on January 1. It is one of several 2024 releases to debut on the chart, falling behind the Kevin Costner WesternHorizon: An American Saga: Chapter 1(No. 3), theFury RoadprequelFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga(No. 4), the Ishana Night Shyamalan horror movieThe Watchers(No. 6).
Rounding out the chart arethe 2024 Netflix hitsCarry-On(No. 1) andThe Six Triple Eight(No. 2) in their respective fourth and third weeks, 2015’sIn the Heart of the Sea(No. 5), and 2014’sInterstellar(No. 8). Also on the chart are the 2024 Monsterverse outingGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire(No. 7) and the 2024 faith-based dramaThe Forge(No. 10), both of which are in their second weeks on the platform.
What This Means For Dune: Part Two
Its Theatrical Success May Have Impacted Its Chart Position
While theDenis Villeneuve sci-fi movieis not topping the Netflix chart in a way that belies its success, this may be the case exactly because of the sheer number of people who saw it in theaters. The other debuting 2024 titles charting ahead of it all had much worse grosses.Horizonwas a flop (earning $32.8 million against a $50 million budget), whileWatchers($33 million against $30 million) andFuriosa($173.8 million against $168 million) were major disappointments. Therefore, audiences are likely less familiar with them and more inclined to check them out now that they are streaming.
A streaming resurgence could be possible… before the end of the month.
This could explain whyDune: Part Twodebuted so low and has already fallen out of the daily Top 10 movies in the United States at the time of writing. However, a streaming resurgence could be possible for theDenis Villeneuevemovie before the end of the month. Although they were delayed by two days amid the ongoing Los Angeles fires, the2025 Oscar nominationsare set to be announced on August 21, 2025. If the movie is nominated in one or more major categories,this could inspire a new wave of viewers to seek it out on streaming.
For a deeper insight into how critics have responded to the movie, readScreenRant’sDune: Part Tworeview, in whichGraeme Guttman gave it a score of 9 out of 10and said that “the scale of the first film is multiplied tenfold.”
After brushing up on the Denis Villeneuve movie’s critical reception, readers can also learn more about thehighest grossing movies of 2024andhowDune: Part Twocompares to the other titles on the chart.
Even for those who have seen and adored the movie, the sprawling cast - which includesmany more A-list stars than just Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya- can be confusing. ReadScreenRant’sDune: Part Twocast guidefor more clarity on the characters and how they are connected.
Dune: Part Two
Cast
Dune: Part Two continues the epic saga of Paul Atreides as he allies with Chani and the Fremen. Pursuing retribution for his family’s devastation, Paul grapples with a significant decision impacting his personal desires and the universe’s future, attempting to avert a dire destiny that only he anticipates.
