Pakistan to miss 'Tenet' international release on August 26

Christopher Nolan’s Tenet is ready to hit international theatres starting August 26, however, it will not be gracing Pakistani cinemas, for now.

Last week, Warner Bros. had announced that Tenet will be breaking away from the traditional global day-and-date release model. They then announced on Monday that the Robert Pattinson-starrer is ready for a late August launch in 70 overseas territories, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom, reported Variety.

Talking to the Express Tribune, an official from HKC Entertainment, the local distributor of the film, confirmed that the film will not be able to meet the international release date in the country. “We were importing Tenet, but due to closure of cinemas, we postponed our decision. However, we will think of importing it again after cinemas reopen. First, we will have to see the situation of the cinema market after it reopens though,” he shared.

For Nolan fans who have eagerly been waiting for the upcoming spy film that has already been delayed past its original July 17 release date, there is still hope. Chairman Pakistan Film Distribution Association, Chaudhry Ejaz Kamran shared that distributors are looking forward to acquiring the film for, perhaps, a September release.

“Distributors will surely import Tenet after cinemas in the country open up as we are positive that it will prove to be a good film for local cinemas,” he assured. “We are hopeful that cinemas in the country will open up after September 5,” he added. 

Nadeem Mandiviwalla, Managing Director of Atrium and Centaurus, did not seem as hopeful though. "I can't comment on the box office potential of Tenent but all I can say for sure is that one film in isolation can't have an impact on cinema business," he told The Express Tribune.

“Our association is struggling in this connection and surely the situation of the cinema industry will balance out after the reopening. Cinemas have suffered a lot due to Covid-19 around the world, not just in Pakistan. And now, there is a need that we set our plans straight to revive the industry after reopening cinemas,” said Kamran.

It is pertinent to note that the film market in Pakistan majorly reaps benefits during the two Eid festivals, both of which have been impacted by the peak of the pandemic; Eidul Fitr was celebrated in late May, while Eidul Azha will fall in late July.

The cinema industry already bore huge financial losses due to the cinemas not being open during the Eidul Fitr holidays, a busy day for cinemas across the country, and now any chances of them reopening on or soon after Eidul Azha are also bleak – the sacred month of Muharram will follow soon after, and cinemas are likely to remain closed on account of Ashura.

“We maintain our financial losses and expenditure balance with the help of the income that flows in during Eid shows. Since the government did not allow us to open up even after our demands ensuring implementation of SOP’s, our situation has gotten worse,” said Iqbal Ahmad, Manager of the Nagina Cinema in Lahore.

“The coronavirus is almost under control and we were hopeful that the government will give us some relaxation but it seems that they aren’t aware of our suffering,” he expressed.

Film theatres in the country have been shuttered for more than four months now, leaving producers, distributors and all stakeholders in despair, while thousands of cinema employees have been laid off and are jobless due to the non-availability of work.

Despite all this, Tenet’s fate in Pakistan looks somewhat hopeful but somewhere in late September. No set clarity has been provided yet.

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