(UTV | Colombo) – Despite its financial woes, AMC has released a statement saying the cinema chain isn’t even considering re-opening for business until the company knows that studios plan to release major blockbusters.
Specifically they say not only is the health and safety of cinemagoers their “absolute highest priority,” they also have to have a “line of sight into a regular schedule of new theatrical blockbusters that get people truly excited about returning to their favorite movie theatres”.
At present, Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” is heralding the return of cinemas with a still planned July 17th launch followed by Disney’s “Mulan” (July 24th), “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run” (Aug 7th) and “Wonder Woman 1984” (Aug 14th).
AMC says they expect to open theaters in the weeks ahead of these new blockbusters using “creative programming of immensely popular previously released films”. The statement comes as some states in the U.S. are beginning the early phases of reopening non-essential businesses, including cinemas, by this coming Monday.
NATO (the National Association of Theater Owners) responded the initiatives this past week saying that until the majority of markets in the U.S. are open, especially major markets like New York and Los Angeles, new wide release movies are unlikely to be available and so many cinemas simply can’t re-open because it won’t be feasible.
Europe is also said to be targeting a similar mid-July start for cinema re-openings and the CEO of Mk2, the biggest art-house cinema network in France, tells Deadline that “no one is able to give a serious date for that” and while people can speculate there is “no realistic way to talk about this”.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee has also weighed in on this. Asked by Vanity Fair whether cinemas should re-open, Lee said: “Open Movie Theatres Now? Hell To Da Naw. I Got Alot More Movies To Make, Not Rollin’ Da Dice Wit’ Da Only Life I Got. TESTING. TESTING And Mo’ TESTING.”.