Los Angeles (AFP)

As cinemas battered by the novel coronavirus pandemic struggle to return to normalcy, Hollywood's first big release in six months, box office prince Christopher Nolan's blockbuster "Tenet" pocketed $ 20 million. dollars in five days in North America, according to box office analysis firm Exhibitor Relations.

Under normal circumstances, such an amount would have been worrying for Warner Bros., its distributor.

With a production budget of $ 200 million, the film's release represents a major challenge for the studio.

“Literally there is no context to compare the results of a movie's launch during a pandemic,” Warner Bros. wrote.

in a press release, while many cinemas are operating at reduced capacity due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the United States, Warner Bros.

nevertheless intends to capitalize on the important public holiday weekend of Labor Day (September 5-7).

"Tenet", a blockbuster between espionage and science fiction, was released Wednesday amid hopes of a return of viewers in theaters after months of closure.

According to Hollywood Reporter, worldwide, the film has taken in $ 150 million since its premiere.

After several postponements, the film was the first to dare a theatrical release during the pandemic.

In contrast, Disney, for example, preferred to skip the big screen box for its flagship product, "Mulan", redirected to platforms.

The latest James Bond, "No Time to Die," which should have hit theaters in April, has been postponed until November.

"Tenet" has been launched in over 70 countries, including most of Europe, Canada, Australia and South Korea.

Without revolutionizing the genres his film tackles with passion for 2:30, Nolan pushes the cursor very far.

For the espionage section, there is a scent of "James Bond".

The characters will be able to advance normally in the plot or go back in time to try to be one step ahead of the other.

What dynamite, with this touch of fantasy, an otherwise classic plot of a secret agent - John David Washington, son of Denzel, seen in "BlacKkKlansman" - at the heels of an evil spirit - Kenneth Branagh, chilling - who threatens humanity.

"Tenet" was shot in seven different countries.

© 2020 AFP