British filmmakers Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Ridley Scott, Edgar Wright, Danny Boyle, Paul Greengrass, Matthew Vaughn and several dozen more have joined together in an effort to save the U.K.’s theatrical exhibition industry.
The group have written to UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak trying to get the UK government to offer some targeted funding support into cinemas to help them survive and “ensure that future generations can enjoy the magic of cinema.”
Much like the rest of Europe and North America, a large number of theaters in the UK are shut down due to local government restrictions. Larger cinema operators, representing 80% of the market, have not been able to access any tailored funding thus far.
As a result, the letter says that “UK cinema stands on the edge of an abyss”. The UK box office experienced a 76% drop in receipts last year.