#Summer movie season is officially dead as Warner delays ‘Tenet’ again

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John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki in ‘Tenet.’
©Warner Bros

Warner Bros. is delaying the release of Christopher Nolan spy film “Tenet” for the third time in a move that officially kills the summer movie theater season, known for blockbuster releases.

The studio, which most recently earmarked the film’s release for August 12, cited the spread of the coronavirus for the delay in a press release that failed to set a new release date.

The studio said it will share a new 2020 release “imminently,” adding that it will also be moving the next installment from its horror franchise, “The Conjuring 3,” to June 4, 2021.”

Warner Bros. originally scheduled “Tenet,” starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, for July 17 and first pushed the date back to July 31 as the coronavirus pandemic closed movie theaters across the nation.

“Our goals throughout this process have been to ensure the highest odds of success for our films while also being ready to support our theater partners with new content as soon as they could safely reopen,” said Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group. “We’re grateful for the support we’ve received from exhibitors and remain steadfast in our commitment to the theatrical experience around the world. Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to proliferate, causing us to reevaluate our release dates. Amidst all this continued uncertainty, we have decided to vacate the current dates for our next two releases.”