Christopher Nolan's highly-anticipated blockbuster Tenet has been delayed by two weeks to July 31, Warner Bros has announced.
Christopher Nolan’s Tenet delayed – but not by much
The news ends months of speculation over the film – which has taken on huge significance for the theatre industry following the devastation wrought by the coronavirus pandemic – and whether it would make its summer release date.
It was originally slated for July 17. Warner Bros also announced The Matrix 4 had been pushed back almost a year to April 2022, while Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman 1984 will launch in October of this year instead of August.
Tenet, set in the world of international espionage, is set to be one of the biggest films of the year and boasts a star-studded cast including John David Washington, Robert Pattinson and Nolan regular Sir Michael Caine.
Announcing the new release date for Tenet, Toby Emmerich, chairman of Warner Bros Pictures Group, said: "We're especially thrilled, in this complex and rapidly changing environment, to be bringing Christopher Nolan's Tenet, a global tentpole of jaw-dropping size, scope and scale, to theatres around the world on July 31."
Emmerich also revealed the studio is re-releasing Nolan's highly-acclaimed 2010 drama Inception on the same day, to mark a decade since its release.
British filmmaker Nolan is one of the most vocal supporters of the theatre-going experience, and has been hoping Tenet would entice fans back into cinemas after they closed their doors for months due to the virus.
Writing in the Washington Post in March, he described the theatre industry as "a vital part of social life, providing jobs for many and entertainment for all".
Nolan added: "These are places of joyful mingling where workers serve up stories and treats to the crowds that come to enjoy an evening out with friends and family.
"As a filmmaker, my work can never be complete without those workers and the audiences they welcome."
Tenet's plot is still tightly under wraps, though the latest trailer hinted at a world on the brink of war, with Washington's character using time-bending skills to maintain peace.