The release date of the upcoming Christopher Nolan-directed pic Tenet is officially delayed by two weeks. Originally set on July 17, the Warner Bros. pic has now settled on July 31, 2020.
There has been much speculation over this $200 million pic regarding its release in mid-July. While other studios such as Universal Pictures has taken advantage of VOD platforms for its films this summer, such as The King Of Staten Island, Nolan has always been a fierce advocate of the in-person, big screen experience.
On top of that, Tenet‘s initial release date will instead see a theatrical re-release of one of Nolan’s biggest hits, Inception, in honor of its 10th anniversary. That special anniversary screening also will give audiences a never-before-seen look at footage from Tenet and an exclusive sneak peek of upcoming Warner Bros.’ select films.
The vast majority of cinemas across the country have been closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Nolan had hopes that the cinema release of Tenet would usher audiences back into theaters but, while some states have begun reopening, major movie theater chains like AMC, Regal, and Cinemark have not revealed plans to resume business until later in the summer. In addition, there is no telling how willing the public will be to gather at theaters, which may enforce health guidelines and implement limited capacities per screening. Because Tenet is a $200 million production, there is a lot of pressure to maintain its profitability across the world.
The National Association of Theatre Owners, the exhibition industry’s trade organization, said in a statement: “We are excited that our partners at Warner Bros. will offer a new generation of film fans the opportunity to enjoy Inception the way it was originally intended to be seen — on the big screen. Over these last months we have been keeping Warner Bros. closely informed of our work towards reopening our theatres in accordance with governmental health and safety requirements, and we are looking forward to audiences enjoying Tenet in our theatres all around the world on July 31st.”
Tenet is an espionage action epic starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson as detectives who somehow can manipulate time to solve cases and carry out top secret missions. Nolan had previously raised anticipation about Tenet, calling it the biggest film of his career. The supporting cast includes Elizabeth Debicki, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Caine, Clemence Poesy, and Kenneth Branagh.