A Tenet release date is getting more likely now, as San Francisco is eyeing to reopen their movie theaters in mid-August. Throughout the whole COVID-19 pandemic, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet has been the most notable outlier in the film industry.
Whereas just about every other title originally scheduled to come out between mid-March and early July have altered their plans, Tenet has stayed put in its July 17 date. The hope has been it can be the first major blockbuster to welcome audiences back to the multiplex months after theaters worldwide were closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Need 80% World Theaters if Wanted to be Released on the Big Screen
Of course, whether or not Tenet can make that July window is dependent on multiple factors. Namely, enough movie theaters have to be open by that point in order to justify releasing a $200 million tentpole on the big screen.
Word is WB would need about 80% of the world’s theaters to be up and running to move forward with Tenet’s release, including those in key markets. And based on how things are currently playing out, they may have no choice but to push the movie back.
Will Be Delayed Till’ August?
In THR’s latest coverage on the Tenet release date saga, it’s noted that movie theaters are part of San Francisco’s “phase 3” in the city’s reopening plans. That means they wouldn’t reopen until mid-August. Eric World, B. Riley FBR analyst, noted that New York and Los Angeles could follow suit:
“Although we acknowledge that each of the three major cities (and both states) are working on their own individual timelines, we believe the later-than-anticipated opening timeline for San Francisco probably does not bode well for the other two.
While we do not believe San Francisco on its own would be enough to influence the studios’ decisions, we would expect that all three cities would have a major influence.
At this point, movie theaters are included in stage 3 in Los Angeles with an unknown timeline, but with Governor Gavin Newsom stating in late April that movie theaters were ‘months, not weeks’ away.
And in New York, movie theaters are included in phase 4 along with Broadway theaters — with some media reports indicating they may not reopen until January.”
So after read that statement, what do you all think about all of this?