The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan is a big believer in the theatrical experience, hence why he's pushing hard for Tenet to be released on the big screen this July. However, there could be another reason why the filmmaker is keen to ensure that the movie plays in theaters rather than VOD.
In Deadline's report about the movie possibly being delayed as a result of COVID-19, it's mentioned that Nolan has 20% of Tenet's first dollar gross, meaning he stands to make a huge amount of money from the hundreds of millions of dollars a release like this is bound to make with a theatrical run.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding whether people will return to theaters given everything that's happening in the world right now, Tenet being released in July would definitely generate a lot of interest. People are hungry for fresh content, and many will flock to see a big budget blockbuster.
Throw in the fact that it will be the first major release since February/March, and that means Nolan is bound to cash in big time. Is that the driving force behind his insistence that it play in theaters? Honestly, it's probably just a very minor part, but this certainly paints a different light on his comments.
Regardless, Warner Bros. wants at least 80% of the world's theaters open if they're to release Tenet as they need to make back its pricey $200 million production and the 20% they're giving Nolan.
Right now, we're forced to wait and see.
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