What do you think about the NTTD release date?

It would be nice if more people would face that reality, but sadly it won’t happen. It’s theaters or bust for almost the entire industry, and given that nobody seems to care about the virus anymore in the US and that China still seems to be doing OK with the virus, I would imagine that they’ll continue to hold out for a theatrical release, probably until some of the theater chains begin to go bankrupt.

We will know soon enough if November is going to hold true.

IF Eon wish to do the whole teaser campaign bit again, I am guessing this will commence in August. And if by the end of August we hear nothing, I guess it’s safe to bet we get pushed out another six months.

Which begs the question, yes or no, do people think the marketing will recommence with the whole teaser trailer and poster campaign?

Or, will the campaign pick up from where the teaser market left off?

Same or different posters? Same or different trailers?

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Well, if Tom Hanks, the poster boy for Hollywood, comes right out now and applauds Apple + for saving his film because cinemas are not a possibility, it speaks volumes.

One can be sure that this kind of statement was discussed by every publicist involved before Hanks was allowed (and himself thought it was the right thing) to say it.

So, yeah, it´s starting to happen.

Since marketing costs are so high the next time they restart a campaign they have to be very sure that it won’t be for nothing again.

And since they cannot be sure, I expect, due to the horribly rising numbers of infections in the US, EON/MGM/Universal already have agreed not to release the film this year.

Behind the scenes all the other high profile releases already will be pushed back - nobody in their right mind still expects TENET to go out in August or the others in September/October. Let’s face it: even December is not a possibility.

Of course, with Christmas season having no new release but lots of audiences staying at home, it would be idiotic not to put at least some titles on VOD.

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Doesn’t really answer the question though does it…

Let’s say there will be a time when they are sure… same questions.

They would have to cut a new trailer and make new posters - otherwise it would look cheap.

And who did not already watch the old trailer 1000 times since last December?

Okay, anybody but me…

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Many many times.

“History isn’t kind to men who play god”

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We’ll probably see the same posters, I would think. They’ll probably cut another trailer, though. I would imagine Ana de Armas’ line “you’re late” line will feature prominently in the TV spots whenever this thing is headed towards some kind of release.

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I love that line.

Unfortunately, these days I fear the opposite is true.

I just can’t put a finger on what they’d do.

I am not sure of the $30m (apparently) already spent on the teaser campaign, how much of that is to produce the material, and how much is to get it air space.

But;

  1. Would they pay Empire Design to scratch their heads for another ‘man in empty space’ Teaser design, or just redate the existing posters?
  2. If they just bypass the Teaser campaign altogether and go straight to the Main one, I guess they could juice up some existing URLs and links for what went for the Teaser, and then spend on the Main campaign.
  3. If point 2 was the thrust, then they would, I am guessing, redate the Main poster design that seemed not to have gone to print just before lock down. This of Craig and Seydoux in the bullet-ridden Aston.

Like Fukunaga was saying, there becomes a point where added expense on tinkering with the movie will not necessarily make a better movie. If Eon release into a ‘not sure’ cinema audience, does a muted campaign sound better from a cost benefit point of view?

There was a new trailer all ready to go just as the delay happened. My presumption is they’ll pick up where they left off really.

Basically, all eyes on Tenet. Everyone and their mother will have trailers in time to play on whichever is the first major film that’s gonna be released.

There’s also the online San Diego Comic Con - there’s already been some panels announced (including for MGM’s own Bill and Ted 3, and Fox’s Antlers), a full schedule drops later this week. That’s another possibility. I’m personally hopeful for.

But yeah that pesky Nolan film is a bellwether in more ways that one…if that’s delayed further (which is likely) how much knock on impact does that have on not only when to start advertising again (Mulan comes out week after Tenet next month and there’s still radio silence on Disney’s part), but whether and in what form the film will hit in November.

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Since ad time is highly expensive, one has to be pretty sure when to book it.

And where, these days? Sports events? Non-existent. Award shows? Nope. Big TV-extravaganzas? Hah.

I´m sure they had a plan and material crafted when the delay for November was decided on, hoping that by then the world would be in much better shape.

That is not the case. So, nobody, not EON not any studio wants to throw good money at something without getting a guaranteed return on it. The result: everything is on hold. They just don’t talk about it yet.

But when TENET moved it was clear that nothing is clear this year.

I would bet on this: no release this year, due to hopes for a vaccine next year. Only then NTTD will be put into theaters. Until then other big releases will be held as well or put on VOD.

And when MGM needs money it will push for a VOD release of NTTD as well.

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Agreed.

It’ll be a week after Tenet.

Every time WB moves Tenet, Disney moves Mulan to the week after.

It´s like musical chairs - only no chair is taken away yet, just rearranged.

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I meant marketing wise. In spite of Tenet moving every couple of weeks, it’s spending like crazy on outdoor and TV advertising, as it would in normal times at this point ahead of release… While Mulan, still nothing …

Did not know Disney were so far avoiding it. I know that WB keep moving the date just before they’d have to start their heavy marketing push so they don’t loose it for when they definitely can release. At the moment Tenet is more akin to the teaser campaigns for TDK, TDKR or Inception, with it mostly using speculation to market it for them.

idk, the stats I’m seeing on how many TV ads aired, the images of billboards that are being put up, social media ads, the PR aspect with magazine pieces as well…it’s basically exactly like No Time To Die was at the point of its delay.

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If they release TENET in mid-August, despite COVID-19 surging, they will lose a lot of money.

WB would be stupid to just go ahead with this.

Then again, studios have done other things.

Or they think: to hell with this, we take one for the team so we can keep Nolan happy and finally point to the idiocy of cinema releases, clearing the way to make money again with VOD.

Given the amount of cinemas that closed, and remain as such for the foreseeable future, I don’t see how they could release it given the sheer amount its cost them. No marketing budget in the world is going to match the cost of people who died going to see your film, and if it’s physically impossible to get the numbers you need, even if people did venture out to the nearest open cinema, why bother?

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