Drive-in theaters in LA come to the rescue of ‘Tenet’
John David Washington leads time-inversion thriller “Tenet”. Image: Warner Bros Pictures via AFP Relaxnews.
Some good news has come for Christopher Nolan fans who have been unable to see his latest spy movie “Tenet” in Los Angeles, California, where cinemas have remained closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film with Robert Pattinson and John David Washington has opened in drive-in theaters in Los Angeles last Sept. 11.
Warner Bros., which previously opposed such a limited distribution, has clearly changed its tune and decided to row back on its decision to delay the release of the potential blockbuster. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that the Christopher Nolan movie “Tenet” will finally be released in drive-ins in the Greater Los Angeles this month.
Five theaters have already scheduled screenings, most notably the Paramount Drive-in and the Mission Tiki Drive-in Theater in Montclair.
The decision came two weeks after the official release of “Tenet” in the United States on Aug. 31, when the American studio indicated that the long-awaited feature would not be screened in states where the ban on reopening theaters was still in effect.
“Tenet” is still not showing in New York and in indoor theaters in Los Angeles, which have remained closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This amounts to a severe financial blow for the studio, given that these cities are the two biggest movie markets for the American industry.
Movie theaters in Silicon Valley, Orange County and San Diego were granted permission last Sept. 8 to reopen provided they limited audiences to 25% of their capacity or no more than 100 people. Approximately 70% of theaters are now back in business and many of them have timed their reopening to coincide with the release of “Tenet” in order to optimize ticket sales.
The drastic impact of the pandemic has given a new lease of life to American drive-ins, which were more often than not the only venues that could comply with rules on physical distancing.
Since its release in North America, “Tenet” has garnered more than 20 million dollars in North American receipts, making it the highest grossing movie to be released in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. CC
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