World-renowned director Christopher Nolan’s much-awaited film Tenet finally released after months of delay, garnering huge numbers worldwide.
Due to coronavirus, there was a significant delay in the release of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. After months of waiting, the much-awaited movie finally hit theaters in the U.S. and worldwide. The film garnered approximately 20.2 million dollars over the Labor Day weekend, and the numbers are in sync with the expectations from the film, amidst the pandemic.
Box office numbers across the world
Wion News reported that the film is closer to touching 150 million dollars globally, given its renowned director and brilliant star cast. Overseas, Tenet earned another $78.3 million this weekend, bringing its worldwide collection to $146.2 million.
In a statement by Warner bros, “There is no context in which to compare the results of a film opening during a pandemic with any other circumstance,” the studio said. “We are in unprecedented territory, so any comparisons to the pre-COVID world would be inequitable and baseless.”
The studios also mentioned that they were pleased with the initial numbers, and the film wouldn’t be a ‘sprint but a marathon.’
Tenet garners significant audiences in the U.S.
The film was screened at 2800 cinemas across the U.S., which is a lot fewer cinemas for a major movie like Tenet, but due to the coronavirus situation, the film couldn’t get the number of screens it wanted.
Currently, about 65-70% of cinemas in the U.S. have reopened, though influential markets like New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco are still off-limits. That likely cut down millions of dollars off of Tenet’s grosses.
While reopening theaters is still a risky move due to the virus, drive-in theaters are a blessing for moviegoers as it reduces the risk of contact and spread. But Warner Bros have limited the number of options where Tenet can be screened outdoors.
They have made it mandatory that the film can only be screened at drive-in theaters if indoor venues in that particular city are open. That means drive-ins in Los Angeles and San Francisco, both of which have been making a massive amount of ticket sales during the pandemic, didn’t have access to one of the year’s major titles.
Tenet is regarded as the most awaited film this year. While there were other essential releases to happen, including Fast and Furious entry “F9” and Marvel’s Black Widow, they all pushed their releases to 2021.
Tenet originally meant for a July 2020 release, finally came out in August, and had been doing fantastic business. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. domestic distribution chief, Jeff Goldstein, stated the studio chose to go ahead with the release of Tenet, given its popularity with international audiences.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube Screenshot