Saying movies today are the same as they were twenty-five years ago is almost a bigger lie than OJ’s defense trial. For better or worse, the movie industry has changed. Especially, how films are received. Warner Bros.’ decision to release Christopher Nolan’s Tenet to theaters in 2020 has changed everything we know about summer blockbusters (for now).
To recap, the studio released the action-thriller in staggered waves after multiple delays. While veiled in mystery, the film garnered the usual buzz you’d expect surrounding a Nolan project. However, Tenet’s underperformance at the box office (whilst still impressive in a pandemic) prompted Warner Bros.’ Decision. The studio is releasing their entire 2021 slate of movies in-theaters and on HBO Max, simultaneously. As a result of this, many theater chains face an uncertain future. However, AMC Entertainment CEO, Adam Aron is remaining optimistic about the industry’s inevitable rebound.
Warner Bros.’ decision not only stunned the audience, but filmmakers themselves. In an interview with GMA, Nolan reveals how the studio went forth without consulting some of their top creators. The debacle caused Nolan and Warner Bros. to end their 18-year collaboration.
This is our world as of now. But as John David-Washington’s Tenet character, “The Protagonist” reverses the flow of time, we too can go back to the way things were. We, the movie-goers, are now the protagonists of this story. As vaccines become available, it’s up to us to save the world from what it may become, a world without the communal joy of experiencing a film in a packed theater.
