The Warner Bros. movie studio will delay the planned November release of a big-budget ‘Dune’ sequel until March, a studio spokesperson said on Thursday, because its stars cannot promote the movie during the Hollywood actors’ strike.

The decision is a setback for movie theater chains like AMC Entertainment, Cineplex, and Cinemark, which are still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘Dune’ was one of the most anticipated films on the schedule for late 2023.

‘Dune: Part Two’ will now be released on March 15, replacing the Warner Bros. film ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’. The release date of the monster film has been pushed back to April 12, Reuters reported.

As a result, an animated ‘Lord of the Rings’ film scheduled for April was pushed back to December.

Since the SAG-AFTRA actors union joined the strike of Hollywood writers and walked off the job on July 14, top stars have refused to promote upcoming projects.

Due to the actors’ strike, other film studios have adjusted their film schedules in the absence of celebrities to appear on red carpets or talk shows to help build buzz.

The Writers Guild of America strike, which began on May 2, has halted most scripted television production and some filming.