Tenet gets yet another U.S. release date — in 'select' cities

Tenet
(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Warner Bros. is taking another stab at releasing Tenet.

The company, which previously aimed to open Christopher Nolan's Tenet in July and have it be the first big blockbuster movie back in theaters when they widely reopen, on Monday announced that the film will now be released internationally on Aug. 26 and then play in "select" cities in the United States on Sept. 3, Variety reports. This news came a week after the film's U.S. release, which had most recently been Aug. 12, was postponed for the third time amid rising COVID-19 cases in the country.

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A previous report from Vulture suggested Nolan was hesitant about releasing Tenet overseas first, wanting to "help support American theaters in their time of need." That report also noted that releasing the film internationally before its domestic launch would be a "risky strategy in an era of rampant overseas movie piracy."

But when announcing Tenet's latest delay, Warner Bros. had hinted it might opt for this strategy, saying it was no longer treating the film as a "traditional global day-and-date release." Meanwhile, Disney last week announced it would indefinitely postpone the August debut of Mulan, while Paramount pushed its upcoming movies Top Gun: Maverick and A Quiet Place Part II all the way to next year. AMC Theatres, the largest theater chain in the U.S., is as of now planning to begin reopening in "mid-to-late August."

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Brendan Morrow

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.