Warner Bros. has finally given up on a 'traditional' summer release for Tenet


Tenet, which had been set to be the first big movie released in reopened theaters, has been delayed yet again.
Warner Bros. on Monday announced it's delaying Christopher Nolan's Tenet indefinitely, Variety reports. This is the movie's third delay; it was originally intended to open on July 17 and was most recently scheduled to open on Aug. 12. Now it no longer has a release date, but the studio said a new one will be announced "imminently." The decision from Warner Bros. comes amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S.
"We're grateful for the support we've received from exhibitors and remain steadfast in our commitment to the theatrical experience around the world," Warner Bros. chair Toby Emmerich said on Monday. "Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to proliferate, causing us to reevaluate our release dates."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While no new release date for the film has been announced, it seems likely that the next one will be outside the typical summer movie season in the U.S., and Deadline reports a domestic rollout beginning on Sept. 11 has been speculated. Emmerich also said on Monday that "we are not treating Tenet like a traditional global day-and-date release," and Variety reports "there's a chance" the film could end up first playing overseas in countries where theaters have been permitted to reopen. Variety also cites insiders as saying it could be released "in select U.S. cities" that have fewer COVID-19 cases.
Theater chains in the U.S. previously announced plans to reopen in the summer in time for Tenet and Disney's Mulan, which as of now is scheduled to open on Aug. 21.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
'Thriving' ecosystem found 30,000 feet undersea
Speed Read Researchers discovered communities of creatures living in frigid, pitch-black waters under high pressure
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
'Fossil-fired grids have provided a cautionary tale'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance
-
Tesla reports plummeting profits
Speed Read The company may soon face more problems with the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement