After weeks of “will they or won’t they?” it appears that Warner Bros. is going to stick firm to its plan to release “Tenet” in a staggered strategy around the world. The film has been the center of endless debate about whether or not it’s too soon to release the film in theaters and if a longer delay is the better way to go. However, it seems that later this month, Christopher Nolan’s action epic is going to begin its run around the world and we now have a better idea of when one of the biggest territories, China, will see the film.
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According to THR, WB has secured a September 4 release of “Tenet” in China. And to help people in the Asian market begin to get excited for Nolan’s film, a new trailer was released. In a new video that accompanies a trailer for the film, Nolan explains to Chinese audiences exactly why they should go out to theaters to support this new film, saying that it’s an “immersive” experience and that the filmmaker aimed to create “as big a film as possible” that demands to be seen on the big screen. As we’ve said before, the Chinese opening of “Tenet” is almost as big of a deal as North America, with audiences in the Middle Kingdom absolutely in love with action spectacle films. And if WB is going to recoup its costs and make a profit, it’s vital for the film to have a solid Chinese run.
And though many people who read this won’t be affected by this news, we now have a better idea of how critics in the US will get a chance to view “Tenet.” For those unaware, studios normally allow for approved critics to see a film weeks before they open in private screening locations around the country. However, with many of those locations shut down due to the pandemic, it appears that not every critic will get a chance to watch Nolan’s film before it hits theaters. In fact, two of the biggest cities for critics, New York and LA, probably won’t have screenings.
According to IndieWire, “Tenet” will only hold limited press screenings in locations where it’s safe to open theaters. As of now, this leaves New York City and Los Angeles (hubs of film critics and writers) out of the picture. And if you’re thinking, “Well, WB can just send over digital copies for critics to view, right” well, that’s not the case. The report claims that it’s highly unlikely that the studio will be willing to send any sort of digital screeners for critics who can’t attend physical screenings.
This isn’t all that uncommon in a pre-COVID-19 world. Many films limit screenings to in-person venues only, but that has changed quite a bit over the past several months. However, much like filmmakers such as James Cameron, Christopher Nolan films are made for the big screen and studios like to show the films to critics under the best possible circumstances (normally in IMAX venues or some of the more premiere screens). So, there very well could be an instance where some of the major publications don’t have reviews of “Tenet,” while some of the more regional outlets do. We’ll have to see what happens.
As of now, “Tenet” is set to arrive on August 26 in select markets around the world and on September 3 in select markets in the US and a day later in China. This staggered release is more of a reminder of how films used to premiere, with different territories getting the film at different times. But in this age of day-and-date releases around the world, it’s pretty remarkable that WB is attempting to do the same with a film like “Tenet,” which is steeped in mystery and intrigue and ripe for spoiling. Alas, there’s not much else of a choice, is there? Obviously a digital release is completely out of the question (for a number of reasons).