Pirated versions of 'Tenet' have appeared online ahead of the movie's US debut

• Low-quality pirated versions of "Tenet" appeared online over the weekend after it debuted in some international theatrical markets, according to Variety and TorrentFreak.
• The versions appear to stem from two sources, one with Korean subtitles and one with German subtitles, according to TorrentFreak.
• "Tenet" grossed a positive $53 million internationally over the weekend. It hits US theaters this weekend where they are open.
• Pirated versions of "The New Mutants" also appeared online, according to Variety. The movie earned $10 million globally over the weekend.

Warner Bros.' "Tenet" finally hit theaters in some international markets last week after several delays, and has already made its way online.

Low-quality pirated versions of the Christopher Nolan movie have appeared online, according to Variety and TorrentFreak. The latter reported that the videos appear to come from two sources: one with Korean subtitles and one "sponsored by a gambling company" with German subtitles.

Warner Bros. has been quick to act recently to similar circumstances, removing "Tenet" footage that leaked from screenings of "Inception's" rerelease earlier this month, as well as fake pirated versions of "Tenet" from torrent sites, according to TorrentFreak.

Warner Bros. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Online movie piracy isn't a new phenomenon but has seen a spike in certain cases during the pandemic. For instance, the 2011 movie "Contagion," about a deadly virus, surged in piracy streaming in the early weeks of the coronavirus outbreak, according to the piracy analytics company MUSO.

While Hollywood has had to deal with piracy for years, the stakes are higher for movie studios during the pandemic, as some audiences remain wary of returning to traditional theaters. According to a recent Morning Consult survey of 2,200 US adults, only 17% said they would feel comfortable returning to a theater right now.

But "Tenet" could convince some to return, if early box-office data is an indication. The movie grossed a positive $53 million internationally over the weekend. It debuts in US theaters on Friday where local governments have allowed them to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic. Major theater chains opened their doors for the first time in five months earlier this month.

Pirated versions of "The New Mutants," which debuted over the weekend, have also appeared online, according to Variety. The long-delayed movie earned $7 million in the US and $10 million globally.

While "The New Mutants" and the road-rage thriller "Unhinged" have fared well at the box office considering the obstacles, their top venues in the US have been drive-in theaters, suggesting that audiences largely may not be ready to return to traditional theaters yet.

"Tenet," a much anticipated blockbuster, will put that to the test.