The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has left many things about the future uncertain - among them, the question of when US movie theaters will reopen for business.
While moviegoers have still been able to get their fix from a few hundred drive-in theaters and independent cinemas that have remained open, and from streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, the lockdown of major theater chains has inevitably led to virtually all of this summer's big movie releases being delayed. The difficulty in reopening screens is cyclical; movie theaters can't afford to reopen until they have new movies to show, but new movies are continually being pushed back or indefinitely delayed while movie theaters remain closed.
The ever-shifting nature of the COVID-19 pandemic makes it difficult for businesses to plan ahead with any degree of certainty. Theater chains have previously announced plans to re-open in mid-July, but those plans have since been pushed back. Here's what we currently know about when the doors will open again, and how safe it will be to visit a movie theater.
With Mulan now having been moved to a Disney+ premium release, there are only three major new movies set for imminent theatrical release. The New Mutants is supposedly sticking to its August 28 release date, and Christopher Nolan's Tenet is now planned to arrive in theaters on September 3. Ahead of Tenet's arrival there will also be a tenth anniversary re-release of Inception in theaters, which was planned for a July 17 arrival and is now set for August 21. Bill & Ted Face The Music is set for release on September 1, but will also be available on VOD the same day.
Currently, AMC is planning to reopen its theaters in mid-to-late August. The Cineworld-owned chain Regal Cinemas is starting a phased reopening from August 21, as is Cinemark. While some of the screens will be filled with classic films like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and Back to the Future, the question of whether or not these reopening dates will stick depends on the scant few new releases like The New Mutants and Tenet not being further delayed. However, the CDC reports that COVID-19 hospitalization rates have been rising since June 20. Instead of planning to reopen as cases fall, theater chains are planning to reopen as the situation worsens. With that in mind, these reopening dates and upcoming movie release dates should not be considered set in stone.
Movie theaters aren't considered to be as high-risk for coronavirus transmission as other venues, like gyms (where patrons are breathing heavily) or bars (where people are crammed into a small space and talking loudly). While sitting for two hours or more in a room full of strangers obviously carries a risk, there are safety measures that could make reopening movie theaters feasible. COVID-19 is believed to be mainly spread through respiratory droplets from people coughing, sneezing, and talking, so theaters implementing strict mask-wearing policies, social distancing, and frequent cleaning of surfaces could control the major risk factors.
A bigger problem is the concessions stand, which is where around 40% of movie theaters' profit comes from. The possibility of theaters reopening without selling food and drink is virtually nil, and AMC and Regal both have exceptions in their mask-wearing policy that allow people to remove their masks for eating and drinking. This means that even if everyone wears masks upon entering and exiting the theater, screenings will inevitably be full of people who have removed their masks in order to snack on popcorn and other treats. Even if theaters reopen as planned on the above dates, many movie fans will probably decide to stay home rather than taking the risk.
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August 05, 2020 at 05:24AM
