U.K. Cinemas Propose To Reopen By End Of June In Time For Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’

In the U.K., cinemas started closing the week of March 16, ahead of the official lockdown ordered by Boris Johnson’s government on March 23. The U.K. Cinema Association and Film Distributors’ Association (FDA) have now drawn proposals to the government detailing how cinemas could reopen safely by the end of June.

According to Screen Daily, UK Cinema Association CEO Phil Clapp said: “We have been in discussion with government on the safeguards needed to protect audiences and staff, and… we believe these could be in place in time for an end-June reopening. We are, though, aware that government will have a host of considerations when deciding on when to allow U.K. sites to reopen. “

Cinema exhibitors seem to be favoring a reopening that would coincide with the theatrical release of the much-anticipated new film by Christopher Nolan, Tenet, starring Robert Pattinson and John David Washington. According to the BBC, Tim Richards, the chief executive of U.K.’s biggest cinema chains, Vue Cinemas, told them that he is hopeful cinemas in the U.K. will reopen by mid-July, in time for Nolan’s film, set to be released in theaters on July 17.

“We are trying to work with government to demonstrate we are not like sporting fixtures and pop concerts,” Tim Richards said, “we can control how many people come into our cinemas at any one time—we have the ability to control the exit and entrance.”

Unlike other releases which have been rescheduled due to the pandemic, Tenet has not budged from its intended release date of July 17. Quoted in Variety, IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond revealed that it is not Warner Bros. pushing for July 17, but Nolan himself: “Chris (Nolan) really would like to be coming out with the film that opens theaters. I don’t know anyone in America who is pushing harder to get the theaters re-opened and to get his movie released than Chris Nolan.”

Nolan’s $200 million film, Tenet, is expected to be a summer blockbuster as it would be the only new film shown, everything else having been delayed. This, of course, means the film will have less (to no) competition upon its release. Its biggest competition, Disney’s Mulan, is set to launch in the U.K. the week after on July 24. But will people want to go to the cinemas in two and half months? While in normal times, Tenet would surely be a theatrical hit, it is a big gamble now as it will all depend on the state of the pandemic by mid-July. I’m just as eager to finally be able to go watch a movie in theaters again, but it all depends on how safe this would be.

The majority of cinemas across European countries are still closed, but some are planning reopening. Cinemas in the Czech Republic are due to reopen on May 25 (with restrictions), in Slovakia on June 3, in Spain on May 25 (only for those with less than 50 seats and at a third capacity) and the Republic of Ireland is planning to reopen its movie theaters on August 10 with social distancing measures and restrictions.

It is now official that the U.K. is the country in Europe that has been hit the hardest by the coronavirus, with now more than 32,000 deaths. Unlike other countries in Europe, the U.K. government delayed the country’s lockdown and social distancing measures. The reopening of cinemas in the U.K. can only be envisaged if the government relaxes the lockdown measures. The U.K. Prime Minister is expected to make a statement on Sunday explaining how the government plans to ease the lockdown. Since it delayed its response, the British government will hopefully not ease the lockdown and social distancing measures too early.