Even Michael Caine Doesn’t Know What Tenet Is About

Michael Caine, one of the stars of the upcoming Christoper Nolan film Tenet, doesn’t even know what it is about. Tenet is one of the most anticipated movies of 2020, and is also the most mysterious. Nolan has refused to let any plot details fly, and while the film’s cast has been known for a while, no new information about the story seems forthcoming. So far, Tenet is said to be about international espionage, with some kind of time-travel aspect to it. Tenet‘s first trailer, released online in December after playing exclusively in theaters, hinted that heroes in the story are attempting to stop some kind of catastrophic event. For the time being, however, that’s all that can be gleaned about Tenet‘s plot.

Nolan has the distinction of being one of the few directors working today whose films are considered major events when they are released. Nolan’s last film, 2017’s Dunkirk, grossed $527.3 million worldwide and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. In the end, it won three for editing, sound editing, and sound mixing. Since Tenet was announced in January 2019, excitement has risen among film enthusiasts, and it’s only bound to continue growing as the film’s release nears.

Part of the excitement comes from how little information is known about the project, and it seems like even Nolan’s cast is unaware about what happens. While talking to The Hindu about his working relationship with Nolan, Caine confessed he doesn’t know anything about Tenent beyond the one day he spent on set. In addition to not understanding what the title means, Caine said, “He [Nolan] is so secretive he won’t let me have the script. All I had was one day’s work and he gave me my pages. I did my part and shot only with John David. I haven’t heard anything since.”

Caine can be briefly glimpsed in the film’s trailer alongside stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, and Kenneth Branagh. Tenet is currently slated for release on July 17, though there’s some concern that it could end up delayed. The coronavirus pandemic has led to most high-profile releases from the next few months to be postponed.  Until recently, July films have remained untouched, but Minions: The Rise of Gru had to be delayed and Sony just pulled all summer releases. So far, Warner Bros. has given no indication they intend to delay Tenet.

The secrecy surrounding Tenet feels not unlike that of a Marvel or Star Wars movie. Some people find the lack of information frustrating, but it also is an effective tool for drumming up interest. Tenet‘s star power, plus Nolan’s involvement and intriguing plot seem to indicate the film could find a great deal of success when it reaches theaters. Maybe by then, Nolan will tell Caine what’s going on.