Warner Bros. will delay until March 2024 the release of the second part of the mega-production “Dune”, which was planned for November this year, a representative of the studio said on Thursday, because its stars cannot promote the film during Hollywood actors, according to Reuters.

The decision dealt a blow to theater chains such as AMC Entertainment, Cineplex and Cinemark, which are still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Dune” has become one of the most anticipated films of the end of this year.

Dune: Part Two will be released on March 15, a date that was reserved for the Warner Bros. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”. This monster movie was moved to April 12. As a result, the animated film in the Lord of the Rings universe, which was scheduled for April, was postponed to December.

Dune: Part Two stars Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet in the sci-fi sequel based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel. The first installment, released in 2021 during the pandemic, grossed $402 million worldwide.

Top stars have refused to promote upcoming projects after the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA joined the Hollywood writers’ strike and stopped work on July 14.

The actors’ strike also prompted other film studios to adjust production schedules, as celebrities did not appear on the red carpet or on talk shows to help promote the films.

Sony Pictures has changed its strategy for the release of “Dumb Money,” a movie inspired by the story of ordinary investors who defrauded Wall Street investors and became rich through the stock of video game and electronics retailer GameStop.

The film was originally slated for a nationwide release on September 22, but the studio adopted a staggered release strategy to drum up interest after public response. The film will now open on limited screens in New York and Los Angeles on September 15th, and nationwide on October 6th.

Total moviegoers this year remain below pre-pandemic levels, despite big increases this summer due to hype surrounding the movies “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.”

Other major films on the 2023 schedule include Walt Disney’s The Incredibles , Lionsgate’s prequel to The Hunger Games , and Wonka , another Warner Bros. film that also stars Chalamet.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike that began May 2 has halted production on most scripted television shows and some productions.