Tenet 2 – a sequel from Christopher Nolan could happen
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Tenet 2 might seem like an unlikely thing given that a) Christopher Nolan doesn't tend to do sequels and b) it didn't do that well at the box office anyway.
How much of the latter matters is up for debate, given Tenet was the first major blockbuster to debut in cinemas without a day-and-date release on a streaming service (in Tenet's case it would have been HBO Max).
The movie made made $350 million worldwide, with which Nolan was "thrilled", given the "new reality" that cinemas are facing during lockdown, and now post-pandemic. The movie came out in December 2020 on DVD and Blu-ray, but the movie didn't gain any significant traction with its home release.
If Nolan and Warner Bros do want a sequel, unlikely though it seems, there is a key revelation in Tenet that started us thinking we could get further adventures of John David Washingon's Protagonist. Here's how it could work.
Tenet ending: How does it set up Tenet 2?
During Tenet, it's revealed that Neil (Robert Pattinson) – who the Protagonist seemingly brings into the mission to save the world – has actually been involved with it long before the Protagonist has.
And what's more, Neil was actually recruited into the Tenet organisation by the Protagonist, only that happens in the Protagonist's future. It seemingly confirms that Neil has mostly been moving backwards through time, all in order to help the Protagonist save the world.
The whole mission in Tenet has been a "temporal pincer" strategy, likely set up by the Protagonist in the future, with Neil part of the team that were moving backwards.
That means Neil has known the Protagonist for a long time and at some point in the Protagonist's future, he'll come across a younger version of Neil who he recruits into the organisation, potentially because he knows he always did.
Think of their relationship as similar to the Doctor and River Song's relationship in Doctor Who. Any time they met up, both of them were at different stages in their own personal timeline.
Like River Song too, Neil doesn't give the Protagonist any spoilers: "We get up to some stuff."
It's that line which, if Nolan wants to, could be used to create a follow-up to Tenet as there's plenty about the Protagonist and Neil's relationship that we just don't know yet, or the Tenet organisation as a whole.
We know it's set up in the future and we assume it's the Protagonist who sets it up, perhaps as a response to what he knows will happen with Sator and the other people in the future, who want to use time inversion to destroy the world.
It's a rich area that Nolan could explore and flesh out, and he could do it through the Protagonist and Neil. Instead of the Protagonist being the fish out of water, you could have Neil's recruitment into Tenet that forms the basis of another story.
And who wouldn't want another movie of John David Washington and Robert Pattinson undertaking another timey-wimey spy mission?
Nolan has made no secret of how Tenet is his take on a James Bond movie, so he could even think of a sequel like how the Bond series works. It could be just another mission for the Tenet organisation with returning characters.
Tenet 2 cast: Who could return for Tenet 2?
Since the sequel hasn't even been confirmed yet, there aren't any official announcements on who would reprise their roles.
However, if our hunch on the angle of the sequel is right, that would mean a return for John David Washington as the Protagonist (maybe he'd even get a name this time) and Robert Pattinson as Neil.
Washington certainly seems up for a return, saying that "in my mind, that's a yes" as to whether that revelation about Neil sets up a sequel. But don't get too excited, as he added: "In reality, I don't know."
"Chris does what he wants. Maybe he has something that he's developed for years that he wants to do next, maybe he's been inspired by something else he sees and wants to do that, I don't know," he told Esquire.
"I hope we get to do it again, I hope we get to explore more, because I think we found something really unique."
Tenet 2 release date: When could we see Tenet 2?
It's impossible to say right now when we could see a sequel, not just because it hasn't been announced, but also because of the ongoing global situation that continues to affect film production worldwide.
Typically, Nolan releases a movie every two to three years and assuming that he doesn't want to do another original movie next, that could point to Tenet 2 being released in 2022 or 2023.
But you'll just have to hold tight for an actual announcement on the sequel which would likely give us a better idea of when to expect it, if it's actually something that happens.
Tenet 2 trailer: Any Tenet 2 footage yet?
As mentioned, it might not even be a twinkle in Nolan's eye yet, so you'll be waiting a while for any potential trailer for a sequel that might not even happen.
Or who knows, maybe it's already happened and we just don't know yet.
Tenet is out on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and in a special edition steelbook from Amazon and Zavvi.
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