The title for the most hotly awaited movie in recent times must undoubtedly go to Christopher Nolan’s upcoming espionage thriller, Tenet. It is indisputably the one movie that movie lovers around the planet are waiting to watch with breathless anticipation. The association with ace director Christopher Nolan is enough to set their keenness for Tenet soaring sky high. That is precisely also the reason why it has a major worry on its hands – the parasitic, exploitative, troublesome issue of piracy.
Tenet, as we all know, has seen its release delayed and then delayed again all through the summer movie season, owing to the Coronavirus outbreak and theatres shutdown. Now, with several countries opening up cinema theatres, Warner Bros has finally decided to release Tenet in a staggered manner, as theatres reopen in different countries.
Warner Bros has settled for a staggered release for the much-awaited movie. So, Tenet will release in some European and Asian countries on 26th August, in select American cities on 3rd September, and in China on 4th September. Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Russia, and the United Kingdom are some countries where Tenet will release on 26th August.
But this staggered release of the movie poses a far bigger problem, the biggest, if we may — and that is, in the prospect of piracy. Piracy of big ticket releases is a major problem the world over. A movie as big as Tenet is certain to face the piracy menace, unless tough measures are undertaken by the producers Warner Bros.
Tenet is an espionage thriller with loads of twists, turns and suspense. The premise of the movie has been carefully kept under wraps until now. Pirated leaks of the movie or suspense spoilers given out on social media will be a blow to the movie.
An anti-piracy expert shared with Variety, “We see piracy can occur everywhere. It happens even in the three hours between East and West coast U.S. releases.” Imagine the problem posed by the release of the movie staggered by days together, and not merely hours.
Indian filmmakers are very much aware of the problems posed by piracy. Most have been at the receiving end of its diabolical grasp. The best and biggest movies find their way to the flourishing market of pirated movies within hours of their release. Theatres are nowhere near opening in India. Viewers, desperate to be the first few to watch Tenet, will flock to pirated movie websites to catch the movie. It is the biggest headache Tenet makers will have to face, in the Asian subcontinent and elsewhere.
Warner Bros would do well to tackle this problem head-on. For piracy as a troublesome issue, prevention is certainly better than cure.
Tenet stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh and our very own Dimple Kapadia. Made at a reported budget of $250M, and with post-production marketing costs added, it is a very expensive proposition for the production house. Hopefully, with anti-piracy measures in place, Warner Bros might be able to beat back the problem at hand.
Stay tuned to Binged.com for further news on Christopher Nolan’s TENET.
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