Hollywood had hoped to revive the premiere machinery in the summer with “Tenet,” Christopher Nolan’s film, intended to bring audiences back to theaters around the world, but its indefinite suspension by the coronavirus situation has ruined all plans.
After three consecutive postponements, from July 17 to 31 and then to August 12, Warner Bros. has not found a way to offer a safe, sanitary and economic release to a film that has cost more than 200 million dollars. This has implications for the rest of the movies.
Every change in the premiere of “Tenet”, the emblem of the economic reopening of Hollywood during coronavirus times, implies a cascade of changes for an industry that improvises day after day its survival in the pandemic.
The indefinite extension of premieres for the rest of the year
Disney was betting for the opening this coming spring of the new version of “Mulan”, with a 250 million budget, but the pandemic forced to postpone its release until August 21, a date that today seems unrealistic, especially in the United States.
During these months, “Mulan” has been postponed every time “Tenet” did and vice versa. But also the company of Mickey Mouse has very little encouraging reports for the remainder of the year.
“We have extended the timeline until at least mid-2021,” an studio analyst told The Hollywood Reporter, an industry benchmark.
At the moment, Sony has left its comedy “The Broken Hearts Gallery“, produced by Selena Gómez, with no opening day.
Also, sources confirm that “Unhinged”, starring Russell Crowe, is considering moving its early limited release beyond July 31.
And the fall calendar is full of major releases that could be canceled up if the most negative forecasts are met: “The King’s Man” in September, “Wonder Woman 1984” in October, “Black Widow and” James Bond: No Time to Die ” in November, “Dune” and “Top Gun 2” in December.
Cinemas in Europe and Asia reopen without blockbusters
The consequences of this problem can also be dire outside the United States, as cinemas in Europe and Asia begin to open without the provision of Hollywood blockbusters.
Although national production is strong in markets such as France, Spain, or the United Kingdom, Hollywood films can account for more than 60% of consumption at the box office, and the coronavirus has left many local and Hollywood releases on hiatus.
Without cinemas, there are no premieres, but without premieres, the public does not go to cinemas.
In the middle of these uncertain circumstances, Warner Bros. plans to release “Tenet” depending on the situation in each country. It has already been declared that the studio will not take the film opening as a global premiere while trying to improvise a solution yet again.
