Tenet opens internationally with $53 million box office, advance launch in US starts 8/31

There’s only one lone Regal Cinema open in our state, located near the state capital in Lacey, Washington, a suburb of Olympia and both IMAX 2D screenings of Tenet on 8/31 are sold out (see grayed out image above).

The first 2D showing is also sold to social distancing capacity (less than 50% available seating capacity), but the other four 2D showing have tickets remaining as of 1pm PT on 8/30.

Internationally, Tenet opened this weekend and made $54 million at the box office.

The sci-fi epic, long pegged as the film that would restart moviegoing after prolonged cinema closures, had the strongest start in the United Kingdom, where it made $7.1 million. “Tenet” launched in 41 international markets this weekend, including France ($6.7 million), Korea ($5.1 million) and Germany ($4.2 million). Next weekend, the Warner Bros. film will touch down in the U.S., Russia and China.

Box Office: Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ Enjoys Strong Debut Overseas – Variety

I will probably reserve my ticket in advance, but my schedule for tomorrow is still a bit undecided. Also, don’t know if Kara will want to go or not yet. If so, we’re probably eyeing the later showings at 7:45pm or 9pm, if they don’t sell out first. Would like to catch this in IMAX, of course, but that probably won’t be possible schedule-wise and with ticket availability.

Am not sure with only being one theater and a little over an hour or so drive from Seattle, that Tenet shouldn’t be sold out much more than it is. This could signal a lack of interest in moviegoers returning in our state to a tentpole movie, perhaps because King County is where the virus first appeared. Might be less people in our area that are interested in returning to the theater period.

We’ve been to see five movies since the theater reopened, including an opening night showing of The New Mutants. Theaters have been at pre-pandemic matinee-level or less attendance. Very few people and certainly nowhere near half-capacity. Despite the ability to return, not many are doing so. Could be the movie selection, which is largely classics — but some good ones (see: Regal Cinemas Announces Classic Movie Screenings Starting July 10 (IF they reopen): Rocky, Jaws, The Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Knight, Jurassic Park and more)

The Regal Cinemas that were projected to open on August 28 that we normally attend in our home area never reopened. Now, there is no date on Regal’s website and it just shows “TBD”