Christopher Nolan’s much-anticipated sci-fi espionage film Tenet premiered in movie theaters last week. Of course, theaters in L.A. are still closed—but drive-ins are going strong here, so no problem, right? Except, you wouldn’t have found Tenet on any local screens last week due to distributor Warner Bros.’ policy that it could only be shown at drive-ins in cities that had brick-and-mortar theaters open. Thankfully, that’s changed.
Tenet is now screening at drive-ins across the L.A. area. As first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the studio reversed its policy and has allowed the John David Washington and Robert Pattinson-starring blockbuster to screen in SoCal.
We checked the schedules of some of our favorite drive-ins near L.A. and found that it’s playing at the Mission Tiki in Montclair, Van Buren in Riverside, the Rubidoux in Riverside and the Paramount in, well, Paramount. Tickets should cost you $10 per adult at each.
If you’re feeling brave, Orange County has moved forward into the red tier of the state’s new reopening plan, which has allowed it to open indoor movie theaters at a capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer.
Of course, the big question is: Is it actually worth seeing? In our review, global film editor Phil de Semlyen says Tenet “delivers visual intensity but little heart” but that “after five months stuck in front of the small screen, maybe being a little overwhelmed is no bad thing.” If you’re considering seeing it at the drive-in, we’d maybe mull over this snippet from the review: “You’ll need to bring your A-game—this is not a blockbuster to relax into.”