Tenet has already made more than 200 million dollars. A recording result that can actually be seen. But because Christopher Nolan's new film also had a budget of 200 million dollars, that's far from enough.
Warner has taken a risk with "Tenet," albeit one for which not only movie fans, but also movie theater operators and even other studios are very grateful: Despite Corona and the limitations that come with it, there is finally a big, hotly anticipated potential blockbuster to be seen in theaters. And finally, you can see how much people are willing to go back to the cinema.
Watch: Tenet Full Movie Review In 3Movierulz
However, it has yet to be seen whether the risk will pay off financially.
SO EXPENSIVE WAS "TENET"
"Tenet" was Christopher Nolan's second most expensive film with a budget of 200 million dollars. Originally, there was even talk of 225 million dollars, presumably, the lower amount can be explained by tax benefits granted for the shooting to take place in a particular country or state.
Currently, "Tenet" has a worldwide record of 207.5 million dollars. As always, however, this does not mean that Warner has already earned 7.5 million dollars with "Tenet".
The 200 million dollars is the pure production budget. Of course, "Tenet" also had to be marketed, which probably cost millions of dollars for a film of this size. But let us leave these costs out of the way.
The cinema operators also receive some of the money they have recorded. In the Us, Warner collects 60 percent of ticket revenue, but in China – where "Tenet" has so far raised 51 million dollars, more than in any other country – only 25 percent.
THIS IS HOW MUCH "TENET" HAS TO PLAY
That's why the US industry magazines write that about twice the budget would be needed to avoid the flop:
"Tenet" has to make 400 million dollars so that Warner doesn't lose any money in the end. The studio can then talk about a profit starting at about 450 million dollars.
This bill does not include marketing costs and the like, but there is also income from home cinema and TV. A good 200 million dollars are still missing, which, given that movies usually make the most money on the first weekends, suggests rather poor chances for "Tenet".
But the keyword here is "normally": "Tenet" has just started under very exceptional circumstances. In the U.S. – otherwise the largest and most important cinema market in the world – "Tenet" currently stands at only 29.5 million dollars, but in the cinema capitals of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, the halls are still completely or mostly closed.
Still, "Tenet" made the most money in the few open theaters in Los Angeles last weekend, As Deadline reports. So if these big cities are able to reopen their cinemas in the coming weeks and months, there would certainly be a lot to pick up for Warner.
In addition, the competitive situation is and remains very weak, so that "Tenet" has more time than usual to make the necessary money. By shifting "Wonder Woman 1984," Warner, for example, has eliminated the in-house competition.