Denis Villeneuve’s desert saga is about to make box office history again. Dune: Part Three has set a new first-day presale record at London’s BFI IMAX — the UK’s largest cinema screen — selling 33,000 advance tickets worth more than £880,000 in just 24 hours, Deadline reported on October 21.
The haul dethrones the previous record holder, The Odyssey, which managed £750,000 on its first presale day. The updated leaderboard now reads: Dune: Part Three at £880,000, followed by The Odyssey (£750,000), Dune: Part Two (£366,000), Oppenheimer (£254,000) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (£116,000).
The frenzy is especially notable because the BFI IMAX will host IMAX 70mm previews from December 15 ahead of the film’s general release on December 18 — premium-format screenings that routinely sell out in minutes for event films of this scale.
To build the anticipation, the BFI is also re-releasing Dune and Dune: Part Two on its giant screen from December 11, giving fans a chance to watch the entire saga the way Villeneuve intended.
With two billion-dollar entries already behind it and presale demand at record levels, Dune: Part Three looks positioned to close out 2026 as one of the biggest cinematic events of the year.
Read also: the weekend box office race and Hollywood’s big entertainment stories.
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.