LOS ANGELES--AT&T Inc's Warner Bros. movie studio on Thursday delayed the release of Christopher Nolan thriller "Tenet" for a second time due to the coronavirus outbreak, dealing another setback to the industry's hopes for a late-summer rebound.
"Tenet" is now scheduled to reach cinemas on Aug. 12, the company said in a statement. Most U.S. movie theaters remain closed to help prevent the spread of the pandemic. It comes as there has been a recent surge in coronavirus cases in several U.S. states.
"Warner Bros. is committed to bringing 'Tenet' to audiences in theaters, on the big screen, when exhibitors are ready and public health officials say it's time," a spokeswoman said.
"Tenet" is one of the big-budget movies that theater operators are counting on to lure audiences back to cinemas following a worldwide shutdown earlier this year. The movie is a science-fiction spy drama starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson from the British director of hits like "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Inception." Little has been revealed about the plot. The film had originally been scheduled to debut on July 17.
Another closely watched film, Walt Disney Co's action epic "Mulan," was postponed until Aug. 21, the company said in a statement on Friday, a blow to theater operators who want blockbuster movies to draw audiences from their homes in the middle of a pandemic. "Mulan" was scheduled to debut in March but was postponed until July 24 when the coronavirus outbreak forced theaters around the world to close.
"While the pandemic has changed our release plans for 'Mulan' and we will continue to be flexible as conditions require, it has not changed our belief in the power of this film and its message of hope and perseverance," Alan Horn and Alan Bergman, co-chairmen of Walt Disney Studios, said in a statement.
"Mulan" is a $200-million live-action remake of Disney’s animated classic that stars Yifei Liu in the title role. Movie theater owners had been hoping to offer "Mulan" and "Tenet" in July to help lure audiences back to cinemas. Both films are now pushed into August.
