LOS ANGELES: Christopher Nolan’s film ‘Tenet’ will be released internationally followed by the select cities in the United States in the latest plan for a return to moviegoing during the coronavirus pandemic.
Warner Bros. said ‘Tenet’ will arrive in more than 70 countries on 26th August, including Japan, Russia, much of Europe, Australia and Canada. The $200 million sci-fi thriller will open in the US about a week later on 3rd September over the Labour Day weekend.
The staggered release will be tailored to COVID-19 outbreak. Instead of the usual global launch of a summer blockbuster, Tenet will make its way through theaters as they are open. The film was originally set for release on 17th July and has already had its premiere postponed several times.
Warner Bros. has upended the usual launch of a would-be blockbuster. Tenet will be released throughout the country dependent on areas where cinemas are allowed to open. They are currently shuttered in California and New York among other states but that could change next month.
Warner Bros. will also deliberately spread out its opening weekend, debuting the film mid-week to space out eager moviegoers. Major theatre chains are expecting to operate with heightened cleaning measures and at reduced capacities to facilitate social distancing.
Director Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. have sought to lead the charge back into theaters. Exhibitors have been closed for more than four months are desperate for new films, imploring distributors to accept unusual release patterns.
Walt Disney Co. last week indefinitely delayed its ‘Mulan’ remake, while Paramount Pictures pushed ‘A Quiet Place’ sequel to April 2021. Last week, cinemas reopened in China, the world’s second-largest market, although ‘Tenet’ doesn’t yet have a release date there.