Christopher Nolan’s gamble with his new film Tenet is one step closer to paying off following the latest update from Vue cinemas.
It was revealed last week that the Inception director was fighting for the 17 July release date of his expensive new thriller to remain unchanged despite other Warner Bros films being delayed until 2021 due to strict lockdown guidelines.
“Chris really would like to be coming out with the film that opens theatres,” IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond said in a company conference call, adding: “I don’t know anyone in America who is pushing harder than Chris Nolan to have the theatres open and to have his movie released in July when it’s scheduled for."
At the time of the reports, it was unclear whether quarantine rules would be lifted anytime soon meaning that Nolan was merely keeping his fingers crossed that cinemas would re-open in time for the release date.
He will undoubtedly be relieved to read the news that the head of Vue cinemas, one of the UK’s biggest cinema chains, has said he is hopeful that cinemas will reopen in time.
Tim Richards, Vue’s chief executive, told the BBC that he is currently in the process of discussing social distancing measures with UK authorities, which may mean a smaller number of audiences will be permitted for each film screening.
For this to happen, the government would need to officially relax the current lockdown measures, but it certainly is one step in the right direction for Tenet, which would make history by becoming the first new film to be released in cinemas in a post-coronavirus world.
Disney’s delayed live-action Mulan film is expected to follow one week later.
As it stands, Tenet – which stars John David Washington and Robert Pattinson – will be released in cinemas on 17 July 2020.
