Sigh.
You’ve probably heard there’s been a spike in new COVID-19 cases and Warner Bros. is saying goodbye to July for Tenet and pushing it back — again — this time to August 12, 2020.
The article linked and quoted below is claiming their “sources” are saying Disney will be announcing delaying Mulan, too, currently scheduled for July 24, to be pushed back further. If indeed that happens, there will only be two wide releases planned to open in theaters in July.
No movie dates can be considered guaranteed even not in our current times, but you might as well write all movie dates in pencil and have a giant eraser handy.
Warner Bros. announced the shift on Thursday amid rapidly changing and unexpected circumstances.
Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ Delays Release to Mid-August Amid Spike in COVID-19 Cases
The summer is a busy time for theaters traditionally. A great time to get out of the heat and into air-conditioned theaters. July 10, our Regal Cinemas have committed to reopening (see: July 10 Cineworld Regal Cinemas to reopen all theaters – Update On Unlimited Pass Subscription), which barring our own unexpected circumstances, we intend to fully support. I heard they’re planning to show some classic movies like Jurassic Park. Yes, I’ll pay to rewatch that movie in the theater in 2020. Or, rather, since our Unlimited Pass will be available for use until we get billed again in August, we’ll get in for the awesome price of $0. We miss the big screen experience, the popcorn, the comfy recliner seats …
If the theater chains don’t change their mind based on this news, anyway. Hope not, but every day this pandemic seems to rain more bad news of some sort down upon us.
Do I think the theaters should delay reopening? If it’s unsafe in their area to do so, then yes, of course. What I don’t want to see is theaters closed and casinos open. I can’t believe a movie theater is higher risk than a casino, can you?
Don’t ask for logic in these times.
Movies, Movies, Movies 
It was interesting to read Warner’s game plan was to leave Tenet in theaters as long as possible whenever they finally do release it. I kind of felt like a lot of studios might go the other way. Put it in theaters gauge how it goes and then stream it as fast as possible. If Mulan moves that’s it for July for me!
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It will be interesting to see if the theaters follow suit and delay opening or go with their promise to open in July. As for Mulan, if the linked article “sources” are to be believed (why don’t they ever tell us how good these sources are?), then it’s all but a certainty that Mulan is being delayed.
My guess is that these sources are often no better than somebody that knows somebody that knows somebody that works at Disney, and is probably in some unrelated job and speculating.
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I think Nolan should take the L and just put it out on streaming. They could definitely get $20+ a pop for this. I’d pay it.
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Warner Bros. is digging in on Tenet. They spent over $200 million on this one, so I believe based on everything I’ve read so far that they will not only release this first in theaters, but they will have it stay in theaters for at least 8-12 weeks — assuming of course it doesn’t generate a bunch of bad reviews (unlikely, based on Nolan’s cred, but you never know).
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