Tenet opens in N. America with $27.6m in takings

LOS ANGELES • As North American movie theatres struggle to return to normalcy during the coronavirus pandemic, the first major Hollywood release in six months, director Christopher Nolan's Tenet, has taken in US$20.2 million (S$27.6 million) in five days.

In normal times, that sort of number for an expected blockbuster would be worrisome for Warner Bros Pictures, its distributor.

With a production budget of US$200 million, the film's early rollout represented a major gamble for the studio.

"Domestically, Tenet debuted at the lower end of expectations - US$20m through Monday," industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said on Sunday.

But the release comes in the Covid-19 world - with many cinemas still closed or operating at reduced capacity.

The United States release hopes to capitalise on the important Labour Day weekend, with the holiday falling on yesterday.

"There is literally no context in which to compare the results of a film opening during a pandemic with any other circumstance," Warner Bros said in a statement.

Tenet, a clever blockbuster that slips between espionage and science fiction, went on general release last Wednesday, with hopes of enticing audiences back to the cinemas after months of closure.

The film has done better overseas, where theatres are further along in the reopening process, Hollywood Reporter said. It has taken in close to US$150 million globally.

After several postponements, the film has become the first of its kind to dare a release during the pandemic.

In contrast, Disney canned its plan for a big-screen release of Mulan, preferring instead to run it on digital platforms.

The latest James Bond film, No Time To Die, which was due for release in April, was also postponed and will now go into cinemas in November.

But Warner Bros has put confidence - based on past performance - in Nolan's ability to pull in the crowds.

His rebooting of the Batman films in the shape of the Dark Knight trilogy (2005 to 2012) has grossed more than US$4 billion.

Tenet was released in more than 70 countries, including most of Europe, Canada, Australia, South Korea and Singapore.

The film appears to be a straightforward spy movie with a secret agent (John David Washington) on the heels of an evil oligarch (Kenneth Branagh) who is threatening humanity.

But in true Nolan style, there is a twist - notably, that characters can reverse time. Tenet, with a cast that includes Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki, was shot in seven countries.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 08, 2020, with the headline Tenet opens in N. America with $27.6m in takings. Subscribe