STAMFORD, Conn. — With the previews about to start, a trickle of masked moviegoers made their way into one of the first U.S. screenings of “Tenet” at the Bow Tie Majestic 6 in downtown Stamford, Connecticut. They took their seats Tuesday night, eyeing the empty seats between each other and a little giddy at being back at the movies for the first time in many months.
Philip Scarante and Andy Flores, both 25, went every Tuesday religiously before
“Everyone seems to have a mask on,” Scarante noted, looking around in the sparsely populated
More Americans will make their way back to the movies this weekend than any since the pandemic shuttered
At the same time, another $200 million movie, the Walt Disney Co.’s live-action “Mulan” remake is debuting not in
Each movie could chart a new way forward for Hollywood in the COVID-19 era, and potentially beyond. “Tenet,” w hich grossed a hefty $53.6 million in 41 international territories last weekend, could prove that blockbuster moviegoing can be resuscitated with half-capacity
“The world we’re in right now, the concept of releasing the film absolutely everywhere for everyone to go and see on the same weekend, clearly that’s absolutely not an option for the foreseeable future,” said Nolan in an interview. “So if that pushes the industry into different ways of thinking and some of them being older distribution models, that hopefully can work.”
Warner Bros. is rolling out “Tenet” where they can. After debuting in Europe, Canada and Korea last weekend, “Tenet” on Thursday lands in the 75% open U.S.
The strong international launch of “Tenet” proved that many people are eager to come back. The U.S., though, may be a different story. Though COVID-19 cases and deaths are declining, they are still far more elevated than in most parts of the world. Cases are approaching six million in the U.S., with deaths surpassing 180,000. Epidemiologists, most more concerned about school re-openings, remain cautious about any large indoor gatherings.
Meanwhile exhibitors are clinging to survival. New product, they’ve said, is essential to their making it through the pandemic. Connecticut’s Bow Tie Cinemas opened earlier this summer and then closed when major releases were again postponed. At the “Tenet” preview screening Tuesday, the married couple Trudy and Phil Davies, with a tub of popcorn between them, said they came for “the chance to do something different" but also to contribute to the recovery.
“We came here to help things get back up and running,” Trudy Davies said. “Not just for the movie businesses, for everybody. As long as it’s done in a sensible way.”
As difficult as the circumstances are, Warner Bros. also sees opportunity. “Tenet” has virtually no competition in cinemas and will play continuously for not just weeks but months. It has the big screen to itself. At one Boston AMC, “Tenet” is playing 86 times from Friday to Sunday.
Disney has released other, smaller films into
“We don’t see this as a new window, but it’s an opportunity to learn,” Disney’s distribution chief Cathleen Taff said. “The one thing about this pandemic we’ve learned is we can’t be set in our ways. We have to be fluid.”
The move didn’t please
Which way things break is anyone’s guess, but the releases of “Tenet” and “Mulan” may go a long way to redefining a movie business in the midst of technological and social upheaval. The movies lying in wait -- “Wonder Woman 1984” (Oct. 2), Marvel’s “Black Widow” (Nov. 6), Pixar’s “Soul” (Nov. 20) -- will be watching.
Settling in for “Tenet,” Jose Alvarez, a 20-year-old from nearby White Plains, New York, was thrilled to be back at the movies.
“Because movies are amazing. We’re saving a lot of money because now we’re at home,” said Alvarez with his mask pulled below his chin. “Not much to do there. Staying inside is not good for the health.”
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AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr contributed to this report.
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
