Did you think Christopher Nolan was done with his Protagonist and the time inversion theory? Nope, ‘cos he totally has a ‘Tenet’ sequel in plans.
‘Tenet’ was undoubtedly one of Christopher Nolan’s best and worst movies at the same time. Best in many ways but worst if you watch it like any regular viewer who’d prefer a movie to begin with a beginning and end with an end. Christopher Nolan didn’t only use time inversion in the plot, but he flipped the movie structure on its head according to the concept. While many thought the ‘Tenet’ as a movie and a story ends with its end, it has just begun, and Christopher Nolan is going to pursue it with a sequel. ‘Tenet’s’ end in itself has leaked the storyline of the sequel.
Highlights —
- Is Christopher Nolan working on a ‘Tenet’ sequel?
- The end is the beginning of the beginning
- How the ending sets up for ‘Tenet 2’ – a time inversion sequel
Is Christopher Nolan working on a ‘Tenet’ sequel?
Fans of Nolan are desperately waiting for him to build an entire franchise and film-universe out of his original movies. Be it ‘Inception’, ‘Interstellar’, or ‘The Prestige’, the stories and the success of these movies pose immense potential for spin-offs and sequels.
However, Nolan has never attempted sequels of any of his movies other than ‘The Dark Knight Trilogy’. While no one has an answer to why he doesn’t do that, considering that he takes years to create a film, his entire life might get consumed in one concept if he tries to create a franchise.
However, this time it seems to be different with ‘Tenet’. Christopher Nolan might finally be planning a sequel of ‘Tenet’, and the movie itself works as a teaser to it.
One of the movie’s final scenes between the Protagonist (John David Washington) and Neil (Robert Pattinson) evidently sets up the story for the sequel.
Spoilers Ahead! The end is the beginning of the beginning
‘Tenet’ retains Christopher Nolan’s signature storytelling, where the movie’s beginning might not necessarily be the story’s beginning. However, Nolan took that technique to the next level with ‘Tenet’.
In ‘Tenet’, the end of the story is also the beginning of the story. Or to say, the story hasn’t even begun by the time the movie ended. Ahh! It’s complicated. In simple words, throughout the story, the audience believes that Neil has been part of the mission for longer than the Protagonist, and Neil guides him.
But the ending scene reveals that it was actually the Protagonist who signed Neil for the mission. The only thing is, it happened in the future, and it hasn’t happened in the current timeline yet, by the time the movie ends.
As Independent describes it:
“He [Protagonist] will devise the “Tenet” mission after the events of the film by inverting to a point where he could recruit Neil before he ever met him. This is why Neil knows more than he’s letting on about the mission – and also about The Protagonist’s drinking habits.”
How the ending sets up for ‘Tenet 2’ – a time inversion sequel
The truth of Neil and his relationship with the Protagonist is partially revealed at the very end of the movie. The Protagonist asks Neil who recruited him, to which Neil reveals he did.
Neil continues: “You did. Only not when you thought. – We have a future in the past, years ago for me, years from now for you.”
The Protagonist: “You know me for years?”
To which Neil replies: “For me, I think this is the end of a beautiful friendship’.
The Protagonist replies inquiringly: “And for me, it’s just the beginning.”
Neil: “We get up to some stuff (in the future). You gonna love it, you’ll see. This whole operation is a temporal pincer.”
The Protagonist: “Who’s?”
Neil: “Yours. You’re only halfway there. – I’ll see you at the beginning, friend.”
Christopher Nolan sets up a ‘Tenet’ sequel in this conversation with the lines: “And for me, it’s just the beginning. – We get up to some stuff (in the future). You gonna love it, you’ll see. You’re only halfway there. – I’ll see you at the beginning, friend.”
The journey of the Protagonist is yet to begin. The “Tenet” is yet to be perfected as revealed by Neil. Thus, ‘Tenet’ sets up for its own sequel or a spin-off, but only if Christopher Nolan gets back to it.
What do you think? Will Christopher Nolan create a sequel for ‘Tenet’? Would you like to see the continuation of the story? Tell us in the comments below.
