Warner Bros. is doubling down on Timothée Chalamet’s starpower, with the actor and the studio announcing a new multi-year first look film deal today.
If you’re unclear on what a “first look deal” is, it, in very basic terms, gives the studio the right of first refusal to a collaborator’s projects – to put it even more simply, dibs. In short, it’s a clear sign that we’ll be seeing more from Chalamet through Warner Bros., especially as the deal covers Chalamet both as an actor and a producer.
The news comes as Chalamet continues to be on a roll, with Dune: Part 2 taking in $575.5 million worldwide so far following its March 1 debut. He also recently starred in Wonka for Warner Bros., which ended its run with $632 million worldwide. Warner Bros. says in its press release that this makes Chalamet the first actor in over four decades to have the top two domestic-grossing films released in an eight-month period.
Details behind the deal, including how much WB shelled out for it, have not been disclosed.
“Over the last few years, we have admired not only Timothée’s commitment to his craft, which is evident in the range and depth of his varied roles, but also his unwavering dedication to give 100% of his time and attention to every project he has made here at Warner Bros. and elsewhere,” Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy said in the announcement. “His collaboration on the campaigns for Dune and Wonka is something we all enjoyed immensely, and the results speak for themselves. We continue to build for the future of the theatrical film business at Warner Bros. Discovery and are thrilled Timothée has chosen our studio to be his creative home.”
Chalamet added: “Working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and their teams on Wonka and Dune over these last few years has been a deeply rewarding experience. These are studio heads who believe in real movie making, and I’m so grateful for their support as an actor, producer and collaborator. This partnership feels like a natural next step. Let’s go!”
It’s only the latest in a number of first look deals at Warner Bros., with stars like Margot Robbie and Tom Cruise also signing agreements with the studio.
While Chalamet racked up impressive roles early in his career, like playing the son of Matthew McConaughey’s character in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, he truly rose to prominence in 2017’s Call Me by Your Name, which earned him an Oscar nomination.
Warner Bros. hasn’t yet announced whether or not they’ll make a third Dune movie, although today’s news almost certainly promises that Chalamet will be back if they do. Back in December, director Denis Villeneuve said the screenplay for the sequel to Dune: Part 2 was “almost finished.”
We gave Dune: Part 2 an 8/10, calling it “an arresting, transportive middle entry in Denis Villeneuve’s tricky sci-fi saga.”
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.