Robert Pattinson, like many of us, is still trying to understand Tenet and doesn’t appear to be any closer to the truth. Pattinson revealed in an interview with GQ that he had developed a theory regarding his character, Neil, in Tenet, only to be shot down by his co-star, John David Washington. Pattinson believed that his character had always been dead, but Washington disagreed.
“I remember saying to John David on pretty much the last week of the shoot,” Pattinson recalled, “I’m like, ‘I think I’m dead. I think I’ve always been dead.’ And John David’s like, ‘You’re not dead. What are you talking about?’”
The funny thing is, Pattinson might have been right. At the end of Tenet, a masked soldier with an orange trinket sacrifices himself for Washington’s character, simply known as The Protagonist. They’re able to save the day thanks to this mystery man jumping in front of a bullet, but there’s more to it. It is revealed that Neil is actually from the future, and was recruited by the future version of Washington’s character. Neil notes that the two go on many other crazy adventures, but ultimately, his story ends here. He then parts ways with The Protagonist and the camera zooms in on an orange trinket on Neil’s backpack.
This means that Neil is actually the one who sacrificied himself for The Protagonist, and the entire movie has been him essentially going backwards in time to his death. It’s complicated and maybe it doesn’t even make 100% sense, but that is Neil’s fate. The story of Tenet is highly confusing and its events are often debated online. There are so many big concepts at play that it’s hard to wrap your head around it. Nolan himself has even stated that Tenet isn’t neccessarily meant to be understood, but instead, meant to be felt as an experience.
Whatever the case may be, Pattinson is reuniting with Nolan for The Odyssey. However, Nolan revealed in the same GQ article that Pattinson was the only one who asked to see a script for the film before signing on. Every other actor agreed on the spot, but maybe Pattinson’s mindbending experience on Tenet prompted him to thoroughly investigate the script this time around.
The Odyssey is expected to be one of the biggest films of the year, not only in terms of box office, but also in scope and scale. The film boasts one of the biggest ensemble casts out there with Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Jon Bernthal, Zendaya, and a number of other A-list stars. The film is also reportedly pushing close to three hours in length, meaning it will be one of Nolan’s longest films to date.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
