Tenet Crosses $150 Million Worldwide to Boost Box Offices After COVID-19 Shutdowns

Theaters are finally starting to reopen across the United States and Christopher Nolan’s Tenet was right there to take advantage of the occasion. In its first weekend in theaters stateside, the tentpole grossed just over $20 million over the course of Labor Day weekend as theaters try to get back to the slightest sense of normalcy. The North American haul, combined with sizable receipts internationally — including an additional $30M in China — puts the feature just under $150M globally.

Per THR, Warner Brothers believes the feature will remain in theaters for quite some time due to the special circumstances, giving it legs to wait out any remaining shutdowns. Reports last week suggested AMC Theatres, the largest chain in the country, would only have 70-percent of their locations open in time for Tenet’s premiere; theaters in New York and Los Angeles remain shuttered due to local restrictions.

It wasn’t a close contest over the holiday weekend as 20th Century’s The New Mutants managed to scrape up another $2.8M, down nearly 60-percent from its $7M opening last weekend. Russell Crowe’s Unhinged finished third with a $1.6M haul, boosting its total gross up to $11.3M. Tenet, The New Mutants, and Unhinged were the only three features to show on at least 2,000 screens.

Nolan’s spectacle feature reportedly carried with it a sizable production budget of $200M, a figure that’d make it his most expensive original film to date. The film has performed admirable with critics as well. Though it’s yet to be “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, it still carries a 74-percent Fresh rating. ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis, gave the movie a perfect five-out-of-five, saying it’s a “spectacle in the finest.”

“Tenet is truly a marvel, especially when seen on the biggest screen possible with a sound system to rock the floor beneath your feet,” Davis said in his review. “The film offers a story and overall experience which will still satisfy those who cannot get safely to a movie theater, do not yet feel comfortable gathering in such an environment, or don’t currently have such an option whenever they are afforded the eventual opportunity to watch it in their own homes, as well.”

Tenet is now in theaters, starring stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Michael Caine, Dimple Kapadia, and Kenneth Branagh.

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