Call it coronavirus cold feet, a wise business decision or (insert emotion), but the studios have now pushed back both Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984.
The Warner Bros. film, which stars Robert Pattinson and John David Washington, was initially slated for July 17 and will now debut in cinemas on July 31. On the date that “Tenet” was expected to open, theaters will re-release one of Nolan’s biggest hits, “Inception,” in honor of its 10th anniversary. Warner Bros. also postponed “Wonder Woman 1984” nearly two months, from Aug. 14 to Oct. 2
Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ Release Delayed – Variety
Warner Bros. made four other movie date changes:
- Witches is dropped from October 9, 2020 to TBA
- Godzilla vs. Kong will be delayed again from November 20, 2020 to May 21, 2021
- Tom & Jerry delayed from December 23, 2020 to March 3, 2021
- The untitled Matrix movie delayed from May 21, 2021 to April 4, 2022
showing June 5, 2020 release
should now read Oct 2, 2020
The major three movie theater chains were all planning to reopen in July. This leaves Disney’s Mulan at July 24 as the first major new wide release title to test the reopening waters.
Technically, there is another wide release icebreaker on July 1: Unhinged. Every day that’s looking more likely to be pushed back also depending on movie theater openings. Some independent theaters are opening and what few drive-ins remains are doing business.
Time for movie theaters to reopen, yes or no?
Throughout this pandemic I’ve said the big 3 theater chains need to get open as soon as it’s safe to do so. As long as they stay closed and don’t get back to some revised social distancing version of their prior business, studio feet will grow even colder.
Today, I went to the beach and saw people everywhere. Casinos in Washington State where we live have people everywhere. Heck, part of downtown Seattle has been annexed by protesters taking over a police precinct and showing movies in the street, not to mention concerts. People, everywhere.
Everywhere, everywhere.
People are socializing and ready for movie theaters in at least some areas of the country. I mean, if they can go and gamble and be as close as a slot machine away, why can’t they go to a movie theater and be 3-4 seats away?
If, however, the big three theaters don’t reopen soon, we will definitely see even more titles pushed back and this could spell the end to summer 2020 movies in theaters. We’ve already lost spring in 2020.
This means Wonder Woman 1984 is now a fall release, skipping the normally very busy summer months. Tenet’s move isn’t too dramatic at only two weeks to July 31 and following Mulan, but will Disney not want to the first to dip a toe in the new movie theater waters? Flip a coin? Maybe the odds aren’t even that good.
We seem to be at an impasse of sorts. What do you think, should movie theaters reopen ASAP? Or should they wait literally until a week or two before Mulan (mid July)?
Theaters can reopen at their owners’ discretion.
However, I’m not going to see any movies in a public place while there’s a pandemic. The first wave of COVID-19 is not even over; in my home state of Florida, which “reopened” 44 days into the pandemic, we are seeing a daily increase in new cases. And there will be another outbreak in the fall, maybe sooner.
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Not over, no. I don’t think it will ever be over. It will become under control when they develop an effective vaccine. The reality is that human beings literally live in a world where building up resistances to invading things that can kill us is a major part of life itself.
I support the decisions of others exorcising whatever amount of safety they feel is warranted where they live. Us, here? We’re going to be at the movies as soon as the theaters reopen doing what we did before the pandemic started. As much as we can function “normally” anyway.
Now, heading back out to the beach to join others.
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Enjoy your day, Todd! Yours is one of my favorite blogs on WordPress.
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Thank you. That is always good to hear. Enjoy your day as well!
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The real question is Mulan. I read Chapek actually mentioned having Tenet go first and they’d look at that to make their decision now you have a big budget family film whose marketing campaign was done that they’ll have to sink more money into…
You’re right someone’s got to go first. I don’t think Disney has the guts though. They’ve announced finally their going to stream the One and Only Ivan which seems like opening the way for a new Mulan date especially now that the Chinese cinemas are apparently shutting down again.
It’s a mess but I still think it’s going to be Nolan and Tenet first just two weeks later 🙂
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