Christopher Nolan once called it “the worst streaming service.” Whether it is or not, you’ll be able to watch Nolan’s latest movie on it in a few weeks. Tenet, which became the first movie to open in theaters after their first extended period of closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic, will debut on HBO and HBO Max on May 1.

Nolan’s negative comments about HBO Max were made back in December, shortly after Warner Bros. — the streaming service’s parent company and Tenet’s distributor — announced their plan to put their entire 2021 big-screen slate in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. In response to that announcement, Nolan, who is a devout believer in preserving and promoting movie theaters and the theatrical experience, wrote in The Hollywood Reporter “some of our industry’s biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio, and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service.” (Diss.)

Whatever animosity Nolan had about Warner Bros.’ move to shore up its new streaming service at the expensive of movie theaters, it doesn’t seem to have affected any deals made for Tenet’s life after theaters. This will be the movie’s first streaming home since it’s theatrical release — which still continues in some areas like New York and Los Angeles, that were prohibited from opening theaters because of Covid safety restrictions until recently. (One drive-in in New York State is showing Tenet on a double bill with Tom & Jerry this weekend, this preserving the sanctity of the theatrical experience, just as Nolan intended.)

As for HBO Max in general, they already have five other Christopher Nolan movies available — Batman BeginsThe Dark KnightDunkirkInsomnia, and Inception. Maybe it’s not the worst streaming service after all?

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