Director Christopher Nolan says it was the studio’s decision to release Tenet in theaters over the summer, adding he could do nothing to stop it. The time-inverting action blockbuster was the only major movie to get a release during the coronavirus pandemic, arriving in theaters in September after being delayed three times. The movie wasn’t available in key markets, though, and made just $300 million, which analysts called a failure, though Nolan himself saw it as a triumph given the difficult circumstances surrounding its release.
The movie was also subjected to mixed reviews, with many saying its convoluted plot and muffled dialogue made it difficult to follow. Regardless, the movie was seen as a shining light in a year bereft of real blockbusters, with most studios choosing to delay their major releases until 2021. Nolan has been in the news again, partly due to Tenet’s release on digital, 4Kand Blu-Ray on Tuesday, and partly due to his outspoken views on WB’s 2021 release plan. Nolan very publicly slammed the studio’s decision to release all of its movies on HBO Max the same day as in theaters, and has spent most of his time in press interviews for Tenet‘s home release defending himself.
In his latest interview with The Washington Post, Nolan was asked whether he had the final say on Tenet’s release earlier this year. Nolan responds by saying it was the studio’s decision to release in theaters, though he defends it as a “good” one. He goes on to add, though, that even if he hadn’t agreed with the release plan, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it, pointing to the recent HBO Max decision by WB as proof that they act “unilaterally.” You can read his full responses below:
The studio made the decision to release the film in the summer in parts of the world where it was safe to open the film because of the response to the pandemic in those individual countries. And I think they made a good decision. . . . A lot of people got to see the film. A lot of people went back to work and all the rest and were able to safely do that. This country is a different story. But Hollywood filmmaking is a global business. It’s not an American-only business. And I think it’s very important for people to look beyond where they are sitting in the world and look at what’s going on in the rest of the world as well, and be mindful of that.
Nolan’s answer, like his movies, is complex. While he won’t be drawn into criticizing WB for releasing his movie into theaters in the middle of the pandemic, he does make it clear it wasn’t his choice. It’s difficult to ascertain what decision he would have made if it was left up to him, but there’s a good chance he still would have released the movie over the summer, given his actions at the time, with the director visiting a theater in California to support the movie’s release.
However, it is now clear Nolan’s relationship with WB is almost certainly over. He stated that WB’s does not “consult [filmmakers] about what their plans are for their work,” and went on to say that he felt WB’s actions were “not the right way to treat those filmmakers”. The fact that he’s criticizing the studio while promoting a movie it helped make and release is a sign that he’s surely done with them. It’s a pity for WB, who have done well off Nolan’s movie releases in the past, as they are certain to lose one of their biggest talents going forward. However, their decision is what sparked the breakdown of the relationship, so they may take the blame for the situation. For now, they’ll still be able to make money off Nolan, with Tenet expected to do well on digital in the run up to to the holidays.
