ST. LOUIS — After 50+ days of quarantined time-sharing family, the country's economy is starting to turn the lights back on... slowly.
Certain states have allowed small businesses to reopen, including Missouri. St. Louis city is targeting May 18 for their own soft open. Social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand-washing is being championed- but things are starting to step back towards normal. Sports are making designs on coming back in July, and so are the movies. Or shall I say, one movie.
Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" has held firm on its July 17 release date. While other big budget blockbusters have postponed their release- "Fast 9," "Wonder Woman: 1984," "Mulan," "Black Widow" among them- the bold and brazen Nolan has remained set on getting his picture into theaters. According to Variety, he wants his latest film, starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, to revive cinema.
But can it? Is it worth it? Will it make enough money with smaller crowds?
First off, these are tough questions for me to answer with a reporter's mindset, so it's a good thing I serve up opinions here for the most part. As a film addict, I want to go back to the movie theaters to watch new movies. Streaming new films on-demand isn't a joyous occasion and often makes me want to watch something else. A movie theater is like a doctor's appointment. You show up or miss it. I want to get back there. Now that I have my Starbucks in hand, movie theaters and gyms are next.
While I think kick-starting baseball and hockey leagues back up could be dangerous because of the widespread testing required and layered logistics, allowing a movie, as in one movie, is a good test for the film market. If Warner Brothers and Nolan want to allow "Tenet," a $200 million film, to keep its slot and open up, AMC Theaters and companies shouldn't resist if the lockdowns are lifted and safe practices are in play.
You can't mess around with half-measures. The best movie theaters to unveil this comeback would be ones where the seats are spaced out. The luxury ones found all around town at Marcus Ronnie's Cinema and AMC Esquire. The theaters located there have sections of seats in twos, which would allow social distancing. Masks should be required and non-contact concessions would have to be in play. No touching acquires a whole new meaning with this pandemic.
Unlike Major League Baseball taking place inside a handful of cities with 25 players per team and up to 5-10 coaches along with them, movie theaters can roll out slower and see how film-goers react. Basically, they can determine if people show up for a new movie. Nolan's film can be the test for films opening later in July, August, and September. Keep in mind this release date is over two months away, when numbers should be going down and testing should be more widespread.
One interesting measure that Variety points out from the conversations being had is that Nolan's film would be the only new film out, so it could play in all theaters. Since the majority of theaters have switched to a digital format, this would be easier to pull off. You wouldn't have to send 10-12 large containers of film to load up, splice, and prepare for the theaters. Theater managers get the film delivered to their email essentially these days, and they load it into the theaters digitally. Fire up extra copies and distribute them.
It must be stated again that there is still doubt that Nolan's film reaches theaters. Warner Brothers hasn't made a profit in a couple months already, so do they risk their big summer release on a whim? Or do they follow suit and push it back to a crowded fall and winter slate of releases?
If I was a betting man and the economy reacts positively to the re-opening, I think Nolan does whatever is possible to keep the July release. How are we going to find out how films do if you don't throw a big steak into theaters? You can't fire things back up with an indie film or moderately budgeted movie. That wouldn't work. You need a "Wonder Woman" sequel or a highly anticipated film... like a Christopher Nolan film.
He could make a movie about two brushes reading the phone book while their paint dries- and people would watch it, break it down, and decipher its codes. Nolan makes movies that enrage your heart yet stick to your brain for weeks.
Let it be clear. This shouldn't happen because people are bored and have bad haircuts. This shouldn't happen because dad or mom needs to get out. This should happen because eventually, you have to start testing certain markets and seeing which of them are still viable. While bigger operations like sports leagues and even casinos are going to be tough, movie theaters with ONE MOVIE and social distancing are more realistic.
I think we get a new movie in July, and it could be good for the economy and the future of film. What do you think?
Let me know on Twitter (@buffa82) or via email (buffa82@gmail.com) and thanks for reading.
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