Tenet: Film lets the box office ring despite Corona

"Tenet" is the first big blockbuster to be seen on the big screen since the outbreak of the corona pandemic. The film by director Christopher Nolan (50, "Dunkirk") was shown in 41 countries last week, including Germany, France, Great Britain, Canada and Korea. It was a successful weekend off to start given the circumstances. The film studio Warner Bros. can look forward to revenues of 53 million US dollars (the equivalent of around 44.5 million euros), as the US industry journal "Variety" reports.

Great dominance in small markets

According to "Variety", "Tenet" had the best start in Great Britain and brought 7.1 million US dollars (around 6 million euros) into the box office. In Germany, according to the report, it was 4.2 million US dollars (around 3.5 million euros). "We got off to a fantastic start internationally and couldn't be happier," said Toby Emmerich, Chairman of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, commenting on the first box office results.

"Tenet" is said to have devoured 200 million US dollars (around 168 million euros) in production costs. The first 53 million may seem like a drop in the ocean. But for the prevailing circumstances and requirements at the time of the corona pandemic, this can be seen as the first milestone. The success of "Tenet" cannot be measured on the first weekend as with blockbusters before Corona. Toby Emmerich knows that too: "In view of the unprecedented circumstances (…) we know that we are running a marathon and not a sprint." The film should be shown in cinemas around the world for many weeks.

Despite the capacity restrictions and hygiene requirements in the movie theaters, "Tenet" lured people out of their homes. Christopher Nolan can look forward to the best film debut of his career in nine countries, including the Netherlands, Ukraine and Hungary. In Saudi Arabia, "Tenet" even had the strongest start for a Hollywood film. Publication is pending in the US, Russia and China.