Tom Cruise says he loved Tenet after a not very socially distanced screening in London. The Mission: Impossible star has been in the English capital for some time now, working on what has been a challenging shoot for Mission: Impossible 7.
And while M:I7 has gone from production to hiatus and back again due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not the only major production struggling during these challenging times. Christopher Nolan has been fighting for months to keep the release of his latest sci-fi/action mindbender, Tenet, in theatres. With many theatres around the world currently closed or operating in a limited capacity, Nolan insisted that Tenet’s release be postponed until a theatrical release could happen. This has caused it to be bumped back numerous times, but ultimately it will arrive in select theatres in the USA as of September 3rd. For other nations such as the United Kingdom, however, the film officially arrives on August 26. A lot is on the line for Tenet, as it’s been touted as the answer to the box office slump in light of the pandemic. It’s a tall order for any film to have to succeed financially, critically, and at reeling in pandemic-weary audiences, but Tenet seems up to the challenge so far.
One step in the right direction for the film is the approval of Tom Cruise. The 58-year-old daredevil posted a video to his official Twitter account in which he attends a London screening of Tenet. Though Cruise wears a mask at all times, he’s still recognized by fans (briefly perplexing him) and ends up in a theatre that does not appear to socially distance the audience. At the end of the screening, a member of the audience asks Cruise if he enjoyed the film, to which he replies, “I loved it.” The video, which can be seen below, is as much of an homage to going to the cinema as it is a solid review for Tenet:
It’s no secret Cruise, in addition to being known for his high-octane film stunts, leads a very strict and some might say somewhat bizarre lifestyle. However, being in a theatre that isn’t socially distanced seems more than a little strange for the star. None the less, Tenet has arrived, and if Cruise will mask up and head to the theatre for the film, it must be pretty good. Either that or Cruise is doing a huge favor for the film's studio.
Whether or not it will take in the sort of box office tally that it needs to succeed, however, is an altogether different battle. Past projections have shown that given the numerous delays, the film requires huge profits to break even, with Warner Bros. reportedly demanding 63% of Tenet’s box office gains.
There does seem to be something a little odd about Cruise’s video, however. Why would an actor who has nothing to do with Tenet film himself going to the movies? Were it any other actor, perhaps this wouldn’t be an issue, but Cruise is notoriously private, and his Twitter account is typically reserved for promotion of himself and his productions. Could he have been enlisted to help get the momentum rolling for a return to theatres? Who better to enjoy the spectacle of a blockbuster in a cinema than Tom Cruise? It’s hard to say for sure, but what is certain is that Tenet is already getting some big-name support in its challenging battle to boost cinema traffic.
Source: Tom Cruise via Twitter
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August 26, 2020 at 05:09AM
