Movie theaters in the United States hope to open by late July, but they might not start showing new films right away. The several major chains like Regal and AMC shut down all their US locations, and though they initially had tentative reopening dates, it seems highly unlikely that they will be able to do so any time soon. As a result, many theaters are struggling to make ends meet. Analysts recently said bankruptcy could be likely for AMC, and other theaters are seeking new ways to earn money during their shutdowns.
Even if theaters were able to reopen right now, they wouldn't have many movies to show. Almost every major movie for the next few months has been delayed until either later in the year, next year, or indefinitely. The Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Theater owners are relying on those major films getting theatrical runs once things open back up, but some movies (like Disney's Artemis Fowl) have moved directly to streaming, which poses another obstacle for theaters to overcome.
Patrick Corcoran, spokesperson for the National Association of Theater Owners, told Reuters that there are cautious plans being put in place for theaters to reopen by late July. In some lesser hit areas, they could reopen by mid-June, but Corcoran stressed that these timelines are "very tentative." Once they reopen, though, theaters will face another issue: Drawing crowds back in. Corcoran believes there are two ways of thinking, saying "People will be very tense and careful and nervous, or people will just be desperate to get out of the house. It’s going to probably be a mixture."
Despite big blockbuster movies like theaters in China aimed to do the same thing when they attempted to reopen in March, but soon after they closed again.
It's hard to say exactly how people will feel once they get the all-clear to return to public spaces. A recent study suggested there's a greater wariness to head back to theaters, but it also showed there are plenty of people who are eager to get back to normal. Showing classic films and beloved franchises could be the right start to drawing people back in, especially since some theaters have actually found success in running special events where they show older movies. When it comes to the major films waiting in the wings, those will surely bring the crowds in as well, provided the desire to see them is still there. As long as theaters can ride out their shutdowns, audiences will (hopefully) be happy to return once they feel safe.
Source: Reuters
