Coronavirus v Cinema: Dawn of Streaming

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I feel like we should have a separate more general discussion thread for everything to do with cinemas reopening, whether things will be safe enough and so on, and effects of the current crisis on other parts of.the film & TV industry.

State of play at the moment with film releasi appears to be - to summarise the countless articles - July reopenings in time for Tenet and Mulan (with two weeks of 'premium' re releases) across most of the major markets - US, UK, France and so on. Germany has earmarked end of July for their reopenings. Everyone seems to be agreeing on capacity caps (50% in France and Germany, Texas saying 25%), there's less agreements on masks, no one has mandated them yet. In the US,.in theory Georgia and Texas cinemas can now open but major chains won't as there's simply no new major studio films now until Tenet.

The most concerning at the moment (from an industry POV) is that there's been some rumbles of China cinemas remaining closed until October, as well as Italy until the end of the year. If countries like these that are ahead of the outbreak pace than UK, US, is the industry too optimistic by pinning hopes on July?

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Alamo Drafthouse posted this



I'm glad that theater chains are being sensible and holding off on re opening (even though they can). If going to a theater gets one person infected then it could possibly decrease business for a long time and eventually just shut down all together. And the bad publicity would take forever to recover from.

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Even if major countries have flattened the curve, that doesn't mean a second wave is unrealistic. I also think that mandating more space between people isn't going to cut it. Literally everyone has different views on what would suffice, the majority of those people not fully understanding how 'regular' viruses work to begin with.

I mean hell, in my country they've been relatively loose with the lockdown, you're still allowed outside but are not supposed to gather with more than three people. The police often sends people home when the parks are getting too crowded and stuff like that. But I've heard people say that things can reopen again easily and I'm like lol no?

I hope things get better in May and June and all the months after that but the fact is that until there is a vaccine it's going to be difficult to start up again.

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Artemis wrote:
April 28th, 2020, 7:59 am
Alamo Drafthouse posted this



I'm glad that theater chains are being sensible and holding off on re opening (even though they can). If going to a theater gets one person infected then it could possibly decrease business for a long time and eventually just shut down all together. And the bad publicity would take forever to recover from.
Not to mention a class action lawsuit against the chain if someone is proven to spread the virus inside the theater.

Overall, I'm hopeful for the theater chain's sake, that it will be safe to return in July to a 50% capacity. But I'm doubtful specialist would agree it will be. It's to easy to contract this virus in an environment like this. Maybe 25% capacity but then I'm doubtful theaters would be making any business.

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ognna be cool af having an IMAX theater all to myself to watch Tenet in July

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Tenet if we're lucky, WW84 more likely. It's going to be a religious experience, going back.

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m4st4 wrote:
April 28th, 2020, 9:26 am
Tenet if we're lucky, WW84 more likely. It's going to be a religious experience, going back.
Tenet? Probably. WW1984? Meh

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Will there really be an appropriate time to re-open theaters before we get a vaccine?

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AhmadAli95 wrote:
April 28th, 2020, 10:51 am
Will there really be an appropriate time to re-open theaters before we get a vaccine?
Gonna have to be some point because the entire sector will go if they remain closed until there's a vaccine (unless bailouts of course but even then, changed consumer habits remain a factor). Detrimental both financially - traditional windowed theatrical still the most revenue-generating model for big studio films - and on a more fundamental level when it comes to the art of cinema and for what mode of consumption filmmakers make movies for.

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And that is why it doesn’t really matter if they open in July or later because either way there will be risks. It feels like there is an expectation that the virus will miraculously disappear at some point which is simply not logical.

They should present a fail proof plan concerning safety at movie theaters to the power that be. I guess the delay gives theaters time to work out the plan and train their employees, and gives plenty of time to spread awareness and educate people further as we learn more about the virus.

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