Warner Bros' 'Tenet' reigned in its second weekend while Disney's 'The New Mutants' opened meekly as the long, slow road to recovery for Australian cinemas continues.
The prolonged Australian box office drought has broken thanks to Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet', which proves audiences are willing and able to return to cinemas.
Exhibitors are anticipating a blockbuster opening this Thursday, even with caps on seating capacity, for Christopher Nolan’s 'Tenet' after a sizable turnout for paid previews last weekend.
In the normal, pre-COVID-19 era, Christopher Nolan's international espionage thriller 'Tenet' would have been released on 350-plus screens, potentially grossing as much or more than his last two films, 'Dunkirk' and 'Interstellar'.
Hoyts Group CEO Damian Keogh is confident the business will rebound strongly once there is a steady flow of new releases.
"I’d hoped for a stronger opening for 'Babyteeth' given the reviews and the fact that it’s an Australian film; however there is plenty of time for audiences to discover this gem."
Opening on 250-plus screens on August 27, the day after its CinefestOZ premiere at Orana Cinemas in Busselton, Jeremy Sims' 'RAMS' will be the first Australian wide release since cinemas re-opened.
In the pre-COVID-19 world, 'Where'd You Go Bernadette?' a drama starring Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Kristen Wiig and newcomer Emma Nelson, was launched in the US last year by United Artists Releasing, playing widely on more than 2,400 screens.