Tenet Gets an Unexpected August Release Date in the UK

Tenet! It's the word on every movie lover's lips right now, perhaps because its eventual release has come to symbolise a return to the cinematic status quo in a world gone mad. After being “delayed indefinitely” by Warner Bros. last week, though, there has – true to the filmmaker's panache for twisty surprises – an unexpected development: Tenet will, apparently, get a theatrical release in August after all.

Warner Bros. have announced a decision to release the film in over 70 countries, including the UK, on August 26. US movie-goers, however, will be disappointed to learn that the apocalyptic spy story, which stars John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, won't reach their shores at the same time, but instead in select cities on September 2. Tenet was originally scheduled for a July release but was held back – and delayed three times – due to the coronavirus outbreak.

You have to wonder, given the studio's panache for reshuffling release dates and the unpredictable nature of the global pandemic, whether this release date will actually go ahead or will succumb to further delays. At this point Tenet's release feels less about the movie itself and more of a statement on the struggles of the film industry to adapt in a pandemic-stricken world. Is Christopher Nolan's commitment to releasing his film on the big screen an act of heroism or madness? Do we want to see Tenet, or do we just want to see something? Can it possibly live up to the hype after all this fuss? Right now, there's a sense that unless Tenet manages to broker world peace it will be deemed a disappointment.

Frustrated with Tenet's delay? Read our Christopher Nolan ranking here.