Canada is getting new movie releases ahead of the U.S. for what is likely the first time in history, so grab your (maple flavoured) popcorn and prepare to smugly watch some movies days before our southern counterparts get the chance.

The new releases include:

• Unhinged (Aug. 14 in Canada vs. Aug. 21 in the U.S.)
• Tenet (Aug. 27 in Canada vs. Sept 3. in the U.S.)
• The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (Aug. 14 in Canada vs. TBD in the U.S.)

Reportedly, for the first time in movie theatre history, Canada is getting new film releases ahead of the US market.

•Unhinged – 🇨🇦: Aug. 14 vs. 🇺🇸: Aug. 21
•Tenet – 🇨🇦: Aug. 27 vs. 🇺🇸: Sept. 3
•The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run – 🇨🇦: Aug. 14 / 🇺🇸: Unknown

— Mackay Taggart (@mackaytaggart) August 11, 2020

Historically, Hollywood almost always launches a big blockbuster hit like Christopher Nolan's Tenet simultaneously around the world, if not in the United States first.

Not only does this prevent pirated copies from circulating online, but it also stops curious Americans from conducting a quick Google search to spoil the movie for themselves.

But U.S. COVID-19 case numbers are far higher than Canada's numbers, which means that — in an unprecedented move — Canadians will actually get to watch the blockbusters first.

Tenet, for example, was originally slated for release on July 17, and its U.S. premiere has already been postponed several times; it will now open in Canada eight days before the U.S., and it will only premiere in select U.S. cities.

From Director Christopher Nolan. #TENET, coming to theaters. Watch the new trailer now. pic.twitter.com/qKoPRyHcLE

— TENET (@TENETFilm) May 22, 2020

Fewer than 10 per cent of the 12,400 movie theatres currently open worldwide are located in the United States.

For comparison, Canada reopened movie theatres in the vast majority of cities as of late June, with Plexiglass barriers, physical distancing and floor stickers firmly in place.

More American studios may reportedly choose to release their films outside of the U.S. come the fall, including the October release of Wonder Woman 1984 and the November release of Black Widow.