Warner Bros. is delaying the release of Wonder Woman 1984, to Christmas. (Clay Enos/Warner Bros Pictures via AP)

Following the less-than-stellar theatrical debut of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, Warner Bros. is delaying its next big release, Wonder Woman 1984, to Christmas.

The postponement Friday of the Wonder Woman sequel, which had been scheduled to hit theaters October 2, comes on the heels of Hollywood’s boldest attempt to lure moviegoers back to theaters during the pandemic.

Warner Bros.′ 200 million dollars Tenet fared well in its international-first launch, but found ticket sales harder to come by in the United States. About 25% of U.S. theaters remain closed, including those in the top markets of Los Angeles and New York. All theaters are operating at reduced capacity.

Tenet grossed about 20 million dollars in its North American rollout, which included two weeks of showings in Canada. Some believed that was as good as possible, given the circumstances, and hinted that audiences would follow new releases into theaters.

But the Wonder Woman 1984 postponement was its own kind of verdict, suggesting the studio doesn’t believe current box-office returns can sustain its big-budget releases. Universal Studios on Friday also pushed the Jordan Peele-produced thriller Candyman from October 16 to sometime next year. Hollywood’s fall is starting to look like its mostly scuttled summer.

Wonder Woman 1984, one of many blockbusters originally set for the summer, had been the next big-budget release on the calendar. Now, that gap extends to the Walt Disney Co.’s Black Widow, a Marvel release slated for November 6. Other, smaller productions are going ahead. Sony Pictures this weekend is releasing the rom-com Broken Hearts Gallery.

Announcing the move of Wonder Woman 1984 to December 25, Toby Emmerich, Warmer Bros. Motion Picture Group chairman, said in a statement: “We’re very proud of the film and look forward to bringing it to audiences for the holidays.”

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