North American movie audiences are not flocking to the stage yet, and “Mulan” is also stumbling upon its release in China as the global box office is slowly returning to the internet in the era of COVID-19.

In its second major weekend for US and Canadian cinemas, Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” earned only $ 6.7 million from 2,910 locations, according to estimates by the studio on Sunday. Warner Bros’ science fiction thriller was seen as the main primary test To see if the public is ready to embrace the theatrical experience again, nearly six months after theaters closed due to the pandemic.

Although it was enough to top the scattered domestic issues, it also just wasn’t enough to stimulate a faltering exhibition industry. Warner Bros. Already her next major release, “Wonder Woman 1984”, went further.

The only major new opening at the weekend was the Sony PG-13 rom-com “The Broken Hearts Gallery,” which earned an estimated $ 1.1 million from 2,204 locations in North America. The film, first directed by writer Natalie Kerensky and CEO produced by Selena Gomez, is about a moderator of 20 things performed by Geraldine Viswanathan who creates an art gallery with souvenirs from her past relationships.

The studio is optimistic about its performance and potential.

“The early numbers are really encouraging,” said Adrian Smith, head of local distribution for Sony Pictures.

Smith indicated that the film would be slow as more theaters continue to open in the United States

Almost two-thirds of the local market is open, and theaters operate with limited capacity and limited show times. Two of the country’s largest markets, New York and Los Angeles, remain closed. Other markets that remain closed include North Carolina, Michigan, New Mexico, and the cities of Seattle and Portland.

Other notable local numbers at the weekend include Disney’s The New Mutants, which added $ 2.1 million from 2,704 locations in its third weekend, and Solstice’s Russell Crowe pic “Unhinged”, which earned an additional $ 1.5 million. In the fourth week.

“Each week is a simple test of how potential moviegoers feel about going to the theater,” said Paul Dergarabedian, chief media analyst at comScore. “I think the fans are slowly coming back.”

But he noted, “You cannot apply criteria for how we analyze or report on the box office.”

Comscore wasn’t even able to report the traditional “Top 10” scheme due to the unusual market that Dergarabedian likened to a “relaunch” or “restart” of cinema.

The scene is more encouraging internationallyAt the end of this week, Tenet added more than $ 30 million, bringing its global total to $ 207 million.

But new films alone are not enough. In China, Walt Disney’s “Mulan” made a disappointing debut, worth only $ 23.2 million. However, the low launch made the film the # 1 in the country with an estimated 91% of theaters open but limited to 50%. The studio indicated that its opening is approaching the same level as “Cinderella” and “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.”

Globally, Mulan has earned $ 37.6 million so far, although this figure is not representative of the total earnings. Live-action saga, which was also involved in the filming location controversyIt is not shown in North American theaters. Alternatively, it’s available for $ 29.99 rent on the company’s Disney + service. No broadcast earnings provided.

But it’s tough to apply metrics for success and failure before COVID, especially to the first films that came out of the gates. And according to Dergarabedian, that might be the case for a while.

“We are not in a traditional market and we are not in a traditional position to analyze,” said Dergarabedian. “It will take some time to properly assess the long-term impact of the epidemic.”