An announcement made by Warner Bros. indicates the offering to moviegoers, of a “preview program” for watching Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ in selected U.S. cities. WBP makes the maximum effort to allow exploring this 70mm Film masterwork on the huge canvas.

Tenet’s early access screenings in the US

As stated by Jeff Goldstein, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Domestic Distribution: “In support of theater reopening, WBP (Warner Bros Pictures) is offering moviegoers in select U.S. cities a preview program for the first global release of the summer: Christopher Nolan’s hugely anticipated action spy thriller “Tenet.” “Tenet Early Access Screenings will begin on August 31, three days ahead of its official September 3 domestic release”. The Early Access Screenings will be scheduled on the evenings of August 31, September 1 and September 2 in U.S. markets where theaters are open. “Tenet, which Nolan filmed using a mixture of IMAX and 70mm film, will be made available in large-format and premium theaters, providing audiences with the most immersive movie-going experience,” said Goldstein.

In support of theater reopening, WBP (Warner Bros Pictures) is offering moviegoers in select U.S. cities a preview program for the first global release of the summer: Christopher Nolan’s hugely anticipated action spy thriller ‘Tenet’.

Jeff Goldstein, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Domestic Distribution

Tenet: 70mm Film masterwork

The upcoming Tenet was shot by Nolan’s cinematic partner and IMAX master, DP Hoyte Van Hoytema. Once again, IMAX cameras have been intensively and heavily used to maximize imagery. Make sure to check our article that summarizes the love-story between Nolan and IMAX: Tenet Cinematography: Be Prepared for an IMAX Masterpiece”.

Tenet is Nolan’s eleventh feature film, and his sixth to be shot and released in 70mm IMAX. Furthermore, custom equipment and lenses were made for the film, which allowed IMAX cameras to be used more intensively. For instance, a custom camera head was built for the film, that would fit within a car and let an IMAX camera be turned around 360 degrees. That reminds us of the apparatus that Nolan has built to shoot inside a WWII combat plane in Dunkirk.

Moreover, in order to utilize IMAX cameras in low light environments, dedicated lenses were constructed. BTW, according to Hoyte, they shot more 65mm film than any film has before. Resources say that the production utilized the latest generation sound-reducing housings for the extremely noisy IMAX cameras to allow more scenes to be shot using the format.

Cameras used to shoot “Tenet”

• Arriflex 765 (for further reading check our article: ARRIFLEX 765: The Camera Behind “No Time To Die”)
• IMAX MKIII
• IMAX MKIV
• IMAX MSM 9802 (For further reading check our article: IMAX Filmmaking: What is it like to Shoot on an IMAX Film Camera?)
• Panavision 65
• Panavision Panaflex System 65 Studio

Minimum of VFX shots

Tenet has only 280 VFX shots, less than most romantic comedies. This number is also low for director Christopher Nolan himself. The Dark Knight (2008) featured 650 VFX shots, The Dark Knight Rises (2012) had 450, Inception (2010) around 500, and Dunkirk (2017) contained only 429 visual effects shots. Nolan is known for his minimal green screen approach which leads to the elevation of real live-action shots that contribute to realism. The audiences know (and feel) when they’re looking at green (or blue) screens, or when it’s for real. For instance, in Tenet there is a scene of a real 747 airplane that was purchased and crashed into a hangar. No visual effects or CGI were involved in that scene.

The Early Access Screenings will be scheduled on the evenings of August 31, September 1 and September 2 in U.S. markets where theaters are open.

Jeff Goldstein, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Domestic Distribution

US screening: Available cities and showtimes

Tenet Early Access Screenings will be scheduled on the evenings of August 31, September 1 and September 2 in U.S. markets where theaters are open. Tickets for those shows will go on sale on Friday, August 21 (today!). We’ll uptake the article for available cities and showtimes when they are published.