Christopher Nolan finally comments on the Tenet release date debate. As most are probably aware by now, Nolan's latest has stayed in its original July slot throughout the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, even as most of the movies scheduled to come out between March and July were either pushed back or went straight to on-demand. The prevailing hope is Tenet can be the first major studio tentpole that plays when theaters reopen later this year, but that is far from a guarantee from happening. Due to the fluidity of the health crisis, it's impossible to predict how things will play out.
In order for Warner Bros. to confidently move forward with Tenet's release, the studio needs 80% of the world's theaters open. The odds of that taking place took a major hit recently, when San Francisco revealed they are eyeing mid-August for when their movie theaters can reopen. That led some to believe a Tenet delay is imminent, but whenever theaters are up and running again, Nolan assures viewers Tenet will be ready.
Speaking with Total Film (via The Playlist), Nolan addressed the topic of Tenet's release date, updating fans on his progress in post-production as they wait and see what happens with theaters:
“We’re finishing the film, and the film will be ready for when theaters reopen. I think, at this stage, that is all there is to say about it, really.”
Officially, Tenet remains scheduled for its mid-July date, but there are signs WB knows that might not be tenable. The latest Tenet trailer curiously made no mention of a set release date, instead teasing that the $200 million tentpole was indeed coming to theaters. That intentional decision gave the impression the studio isn't ready to commit to a set date yet as they continue to monitor the situation. The development in San Francisco is key because other major markets like New York and Los Angeles could potentially follow the same timeline. If WB can't release Tenet in America's biggest cities, then they'll have no choice but to delay it. A final decision will have to be made in the near future, with Tenet's premiere just seven weeks away.
Nolan's comments illustrate he's as much in the dark about Tenet's release as casual audiences are. He understands this situation is out of his control. All anyone can do at this point is wait and see how the health crisis progresses; it would be foolish for him to say with any degree of certainty that Tenet will come out in July. It's an unenviable position for WB to be in, as it's assumed a Tenet delay could have a severe domino effect on the rest of the industry. But what matters most is health and safety, so if things do not improve significantly in the next few weeks, fans will probably have to wait longer to see Tenet.
Source: Total Film (via The Playlist)
