Christopher Nolan's 'TENET' gets a new, time-bending trailer

BlacKkKlansman star John David Washington fights to stop the breakout of World War Three in a new time-bending trailer for Christopher Nolan’s highly-anticipated blockbuster TENET.

The action-packed teaser debuted within the wildly popular video game Fortnite and shed some light on the movie’s take on the world of international espionage.

Washington and his apparent partner – played by Robert Pattinson – are working to stop the breakout of a global conflict and “something worse” than Armageddon.

As with many of Nolan’s films, time is a central theme of TENET, with events seeming to play out in reverse.

A new synopsis for the film, reveals it’s not time travel, but “time inversion”.

John David Washington is the new Protagonist in Christopher Nolan’s original sci-fi action spectacle “Tenet.” Armed with only one word—Tenet—and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time. Not time travel. Inversion.

While initial reaction to the trailer was positive, worried fans noticed there was no sign of the movie’s planned 17 July release date on the end slate.

Instead the trailer only stated it was “coming to theatres,” raising fears it could become the latest major Hollywood film to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic. A recent report suggested at least 80% of the world’s cinema screens would need to be open for the film to be released in July.

Showcase in the UK has said last week that it is working towards a July re-opening plan with social distancing measures, with Vue Cinemas also plotting a similar course.

Read more: Pattinson teases ‘enormous’ set pieces in TENET

A spokesman for the UK Cinema Association said: “On the basis of our understanding of the safeguards that will need to be in place before cinemas can safely open, most venues will be ready to do so by the end of June.

“The suggestion that this might be considered around 4 July for cinemas in England is therefore welcome.”

If TENET were to be delayed, it would be a hammer blow to the ailing theatre industry which is desperate for a blockbuster release to entice fans back to the cinema.

Cinemas have been closed around the world in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19.

As well as Washington and Pattinson, Tenet features an all-star cast including Elizabeth Debicki, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kenneth Branagh, Dimple Kapadia, Clemence Poesy and Nolan regular Sir Michael Cain.

British director Nolan is one of the most acclaimed filmmakers in Hollywood. His other released include The Prestige, Dunkirk, Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy.

TENET is coming to cinemas, hopefully on 17 July.