'Dune: Part Two' had a massive opening weekend at the global box office

Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi sequel has surpassed expectations

It's one of the most highly anticipated sequels in recent years, and it seems that film fans are eager to catch 'Dune: Part Two' both ASAP and on a big screen.

Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi sequel had a huge opening weekend at the box office, both in the US - where it scored a massive $81.5 million, making it the biggest opening weekend film of the year so far - and globally, where it hit the $97 million tally at the international box office.

Considering its studio Warner Bros. initially projected a domestic opening weekend target of $65 million, it's clear that the sequel has already surpassed expectations.

"Audiences are responding to the combination of Denis Villeneuve’s ability to tell a story in an extraordinary way and the extraordinary cast,” said Jeff Goldstein of Warner Bros. “This is a moment for Timothée Chalamet."

The film, which follows the story of Timothee Chalamet's character Paul Atreides as he prepares to go to war against House Harkonnen, with the fate of the planet Arrakis hanging in the balance - was originally meant to be released last year but was delayed because of the strikes that hit Hollywood.

It looks as though the delay only served to whet appetites, however, as it is also currently standing at 93% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 95% audience score.

According to Variety, the film cost $190 million to make and another $100 million to promote, so there's still a way to go until it hits 'profit' status - but with that huge opening weekend, it's certainly on its way.

Read our 5-star review of 'Dune: Part Two' here.