The country’s two largest movie theater chains have set new reopening dates after the coronavirus pandemic shut it down for months.
Regal Cinemas announced Tuesday that it plans to reopen American theaters on August 21, just in time for Christopher Nolan’s recently announced “Tenet” release date. The director’s highly anticipated new movie “Inception” will hit theaters in 70 countries on August 26 and in theaters in the United States on September 3.
“Welcoming viewers to our theaters will be a celebration not only for our team and our industry, but more importantly for fans who have been eagerly awaiting the upcoming releases of the year,” said Mooky Greidinger, CEO of Cineworld, the company. Regal matrix. statement. “With the health and safety of our staff, customers and communities as our top priority, we are pleased to invite the public to return to the timeless theatrical experience that we have all missed.”
The deadline reports that AMC Theaters, the country’s largest movie theater chain, now plans to open in mid-to-late August, also in time for “Tenet.” The company currently has a third of its locations in Europe and the Middle East open and operating normally.
Theaters have been largely closed due to Covid-19 concerns since March. Regal planned to reopen its American theaters on July 10, then July 31; Similarly, AMC continued to announce and delay its reopening date.
However, it remains to be seen whether the reopening of theaters will be allowed in all states. All of New York’s regions are in “phase four” of the reopening process, but Governor Andrew Cuomo has not yet given permission for movie theaters and some other entertainment venues to resume operations.
It is also unclear how many new movies will be available on the big screen. Disney’s live action “Mulan” has been delayed indefinitely, “Wonder Woman 1984” moved to October, and the James Bond adventure “No Time to Die” changed from April to November. Variety reports that Russell Crowe’s “Unhinged” and Janelle Monae’s “Antebellum” are scheduled for release on August 21, and “Bill and Ted Face the Music” will come two weeks later along with “Tenet.”
Regal Cinemas said in June that it would fill some theaters with older titles like “Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back,” “Shark,” “Black Panther” and “Beauty and the Beast.”
When theaters reopen, employees and customers of Regal Cinemas and AMC Theaters should wear face masks when they are not seated. All theaters will also reduce capacity by 50 percent (with two empty seats between groups), increase cleaning between exhibits, and implement other health and safety protocols, including contactless payments and gloves for all workers.
Regal Cinemas has more than 40 locations in New York State, including Syracuse area theaters at Destiny USA, Great Northern, and Shoppingtown. AMC Theaters has more than 1,000 locations worldwide, including theaters in upstate New York cities like Buffalo, Vestal, and Allegany.
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