Who Owns ‘Dune’ Production Company Legendary Pictures?
Legendary Pictures’ movie "Dune" is set to hit theaters on Oct. 22. Who owns the Legendary Pictures production company?
Oct. 22 2021, Published 10:14 a.m. ET
After collecting promising ticket sales internationally, Dune: Part One will open in 4,100 theatres in the U.S. and Canada on Oct. 22, 2021. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, who co-wrote the movie with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth, Dune is adapted from the first half of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel of the same name. The movie was produced by Warner Bros. and a lesser-known company, Legendary Pictures. Who owns Legendary?
Legendary Pictures, a U.S. film production and mass media company based in Burbank, Calif., was founded by Thomas Tull in 2000. It belongs to Legendary Entertainment, which also has television and digital (Legendary Television and Digital Media) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions. In aggregate, Legendary Pictures-associated productions have grossed more than $18 billion worldwide at the box office.
Legendary Pictures’ partnerships
In 2005, Legendary signed an agreement with Warner Bros. to co-produce and co-finance films. It signed a similar agreement with Universal Studios in 2014. Lately, the company has tried to diversify its relationships, with collaborations with Universal, Netflix, and CBS All Access.
The studio’s first film was Batman Begins in 2005, and its last film before Dune was Godzilla vs. Kong in March 2021. Its other notable films include The Dark Knight, The Hangover, and Jurassic World.
Who owns Legendary Pictures?
In June 2016, Chinese conglomerate Wanda Group acquired Legendary Entertainment for $3.5 billion. At the time, it was the largest acquisition of an American media company by a Chinese company. Its current CEO is Joshua Grode, who took over the company in 2017.
The company is reportedly looking for a sale to or merger with another media company. Mergers and acquisitions in Hollywood have been heating up this year. WarnerMedia and Discovery have announced a merger, and Amazon is buying MGM Studios for $8.45 billion.
Box office predictions for "Dune"
A new movie release is always a big deal for a production house, and that's especially the case for Legendary’s long-delayed Dune: Part One. The movie, originally scheduled to premiere in Nov. 2020, is finally hitting theaters and HBO Max on Oct. 22, 2021. Its A-list cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, and Josh Brolin.
The sci-fi epic is expected to dominate at ticket booths. According to Variety, it could generate $30 million to $40 million in its first three days and over $70 million altogether at theaters. Screenrant even thinks the movie's domestic box office opening weekend collection may top Blade Runner 2049's.