Christopher Nolan’s Tenet is coming to theaters no matter what. The new trailer for the film, which premiered Thursday in Fortnite, boldly proclaims this fact after showing off more of the film than we’ve ever seen and finally giving us an inkling of understanding about what the film is about.
Viewing the trailer live within Fortnite came with some discussion between Summer Game Fest host Geoff Keighley and Tenet star John David Washington.
Nolan, a staunch supporter of shooting on film and the theatrical experience, has been adamant that Tenet is released in theaters, but when isn’t clear. The movie is still slated for July 17, while WB has moved around nearly all of its other films. That date seems to be increasingly tenuous, however, as coronavirus continues to shut down U.S. theaters. Even if theaters are open by mid-July, it will be in an extremely limited capacity that is sure to impact a film’s box office.
As it stands, Tenet will be the first massive blockbuster to land since the coronavirus tore through the film industry and upended the summer release schedule. This means the movie could be the first big test for studios and theater chains and define the path forward for reopening the massive film industry.
The trailer itself has far more plot and detail than we’ve gotten before. Nolan is well known for being mysterious and stingy with information about his films, but the trailer finally explains what the odd and disconcerting “time inversion” going on throughout is. We still don’t know what Tenet is or why there’s a secret team of spies trying to stop it, but this is far more than we’ve had before and it shows off even more of Nolan’s ability to craft films that are like nothing we’ve ever seen before.
While the release date and actual plot of Tenet may not be clear, one fact is: The film will land in theaters.
