‘Tenet’ Kicks Off Box Office with $20 Million Opening Weekend

This weekend was the first big test for the viability of box office recovery amidst the pandemic, and Tenet is the big title that theaters are relying on. After $54 million international debut last week, the Christopher Nolan film totaled at $20 million stateside, playing only in counties where theaters were allowed to reopen.

This is the best box office weekend since theater closures in March, but still comes in below the targeted $50 million that a Nolan film would open at under different circumstances. Some theaters in California and New Jersey even opened their doors specifically for the release of this film, but could not make up for the remaining closures in many states.

It marks not a major success, but not a total failure either. This may lead to more release uncertainty with upcoming big title releases including Wonder Woman 1984 and Black Widow, which are expected in October and November.

Other new releases also came in low, with their totals and rankings listed down below.

1. Tenet– $20.2 million
2. The New Mutants– $2.9 million
3. Unhinged– $1.8 million
4. Bill and Ted Face the Music– $657,074
5. The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run– $345,000
6. The Personal History of David Copperfield– $335,000
7. Words on Bathroom Walls– $282,365
8. My Brother’s Crossing- $19,386