Is the lockdown on movie theaters finally over? The reopening of cinemas in the US is underway, but to have a film like Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” to open wide you need the two biggest markets, New York City, and Los Angeles, to ease down on lockdown protocols. Well, it seems as though California Governor Gavin Newsom is allowing for movie theaters to reopen as soon as this week.
Deadline is reporting that California’s latest protocols state that theaters can begin reopening under strict guidelines on June 12. Counties could still overrule the state-wide mandates, but this is a positive development for those who are hungry to go back to watching films in darkened rooms. The catch, those aforementioned strict guidelines, is that they won’t reopen at full capacity. The guidelines claim that screenings can only operate at 25% capacity. Also, the customers will be asked to wear a mask unless eating and drinking. Social distancing will also be a must, as ushers are expected to guide audiences to socially distance from seat to seat.
25% capacity is likely not enough to have this summer’s big tentpoles such as July’s “Tenet” and August’s “Wonder Woman 1984” be released, but this is a positive development and a step forward in the eventual normalcy that will come later this year or even in 2021. We are still far from an official reopening that would allow these blockbusters to get released, but, given the fact that not many films are scheduled between now and August, I can foresee “Tenet” and company playing in 6-12 screens per multiplex at 25% capacity, that would certainly satisfy the studios enough to go through in releasing these films.