Much to the chagrin of moviegoers who have restlessly been waiting for Christopher Nolan's Tenet to hit the theaters, Warner Bros. has again postponed the release date for the espionage thriller. This is the second delay for Tenet, which has been touted as this year's big tent-pole film and encourages moviegoers to return to theaters following an extended closure, triggered by coronavirus pandemic.

Bearing a $200 million price tag, the film was originally slated to arrive in multiple theaters on July 17, but its release date was later pushed back to July 31. Now, Tenet will be released on Aug. 12., Variety reported. Before bringing the film to theaters, Warner Bros. wants to ensure exhibitors are ready and public health officials say it is safe for people to visit cinema halls, the entertainment company's spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson said it was imperative for the company to be flexible, adding that it is treating this as a usual movie release. The reason behind opting to release the movie mid-week is to allow audiences to watch the film in their own time. Moreover, Warner Bros. will be playing the film longer, over an extended play period beyond usual to come up with an unconventional, yet successful release strategy.

Aside from postponing Tenet's release date, the studio has pushed the re-release date of Nolan’s equally anticipated sci-fi blockbuster Inception to July 31 to commemorate its 10th anniversary. The recently announced decision to shift Tenet's release date comes after the Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo announced that Phase 4 of reopening does not include movie theaters in the state.

Without theaters in New York City and Los Angeles reopening, the big-budget action film will not be able to cash in on two of the United States' biggest moviegoing markets. With some part of the nation reopening businesses, there has been a surge in COVID-19 cases, which could further delay the industry's plan to return to the movies.

Even if multiplexes across America are permitted to reopen to a considerable degree, it is still unclear whether or not audiences will feel safe to go back to theaters, especially when the virus is still at large. To quell those fears among moviegoers, exhibitors have introduced new safety procedures that will ensure no one with COVID-19 symptoms is allowed to enter the theater.

These measures include physical-distancing, improved cleaning protocols, and restricting capacity to 50 percent or less. Moreover, cinema chains including Alamo Drafthouse, Regal, and AMC will require visitors to wear masks.