Tenet will release on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital in December. The latest film from director Christopher Nolan, Tenet was a rare 2020 tentpole to still come out this year amidst the coronavirus pandemic. While several other highly-anticipated titles were ultimately moved to 2021, Warner Bros. delayed Tenet to September, releasing it in markets where theaters were open. It was a gamble that didn't really pay off, since Tenet struggled at the box office (particularly domestically). Nolan believes Hollywood took the wrong lessons from Tenet's commercial performance, but even WB admits it wasn't a home run.
Entering 2020 as one of the year's most anticipated films, Tenet was poised to be a massive box office hit, but arguably fell short of expectations (even in the "new normal" of the pandemic). Looking at the numbers, it's clear not enough people felt it was safe to make the trip to the theater. Additionally, venues in key U.S. markets like New York City and Los Angeles remain closed, further limiting the number of people who could see Tenet on the big screen. Fortunately, those interested in watching the film don't have much longer to wait until there's a safe option.
Warner Bros. officially announced Tenet will come out on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital on December 15, 2020. Preorders will be made available beginning November 10. The Blu-ray and 4K UHD Combo Pack comes with a bonus feature titled "Looking at the World in a New Way: The Making of Tenet," which goes behind-the-scenes of the movie.
Tenet's home media release smartly coincides with the holiday season, and WB will be hoping the sales figures help make up for the box office losses. Odds are, Tenet will perform well in the home market. Given Nolan's pedigree, there was always interest in seeing the movie, but a majority of people opted to skip it in theaters due to COVID-19 concerns. That will no longer be an issue as it arrives on Blu-ray and digital, meaning it should generate a lot of revenue on these platforms. Tenet may never hit the $500 million mark at the worldwide box office needed to break even, but home media will be a much-needed boost for its overall bottom line. With most of this fall and winter's blockbusters delayed to 2021, there will be a shortage of major movie releases, and Tenet can help fill that void.
It's a little disappointing there's just a single bonus feature on the Blu-ray, but it is described as an "hour-long exploration" into the film, so hopefully it will be a detailed and comprehensive look at Tenet. Nolan's made a career of crafting ambitious genre pictures, with Tenet being one of his boldest efforts. Just based on the marketing materials, there will be a lot to unpack in a making-of documentary, and ideally "Looking at the World in a New Way" is the perfect companion piece to Tenet, giving viewers a deeper appreciation for what Nolan achieved.
Source: Warner Bros.