Movies & Cinema during the Pandemic? Catch-all Discussion (1 Viewer)

[BobO'Link]

We have Malco here. They are still following protocols:

Malco Theatres -

www.malco.com

I still won't go until the state vaccination rate is 70% or better.

 

[Sam Favate]

Warner has made a deal with Regal that says, beginning in 2022, they will agree to a 45-day theatrical window for films. That's half of the pre-pandemic window of 90 days.

The agreement calls for a shorter window of 31 days in the UK, except for films that open to an agreed-upon box office threshold which have a 45 day window.

The deal is more generous to theaters than the one that Universal announced back in the fall.

Warner Bros. Strikes First Deal to Return Films to Theaters Only in 2022 with New 45-Day Window

Warner Bros. and Regal Cinemas owner Cineworld have reached an agreement on a 45-day theatrical window starting in 2022.

www.indiewire.com

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

More generous than Universal's deal? Sure, but Warner probably had to throw them a bone after they screwed just about every business partner w/ their dictate of zero theatrical window for 2021 (w/ no actual commitment to return to normal beyond)...

_Man_

 

[Tino]

Tomorrow is the day. I’m fully vaccinated and have tickets for the 1pm IMAX showing of Godzilla vs Kong. First time back in a theater since last March.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Tomorrow is the day. I’m fully vaccinated and have tickets for the 1pm IMAX showing of Godzilla vs Kong. First time back in a theater since last March.

Enjoy - happy for you!

 

[Jake Lipson]

The deal is more generous to theaters than the one that Universal announced back in the fall.

It is and it isn't.

The reason AMC and Cinemark agreed to Universal's 17-day window is because Universal gives them an agreed upon percentage of the gross from the PVOD rentals that follow.

While you are correct that 45 days is a longer period of theatrical exclusivity than 17 days, it has not been reported as to whether the theaters will also get a cut of whatever money is made outside the theatrical window.

It is also interesting that they landed on 45 days because 45 days is the amount of time Paramount will allow between theatrical release and Paramount+ release for A Quiet Place Part II and Mission: Impossible 7. So that is now two studios that have landed on 45 days. Perhaps we are heading toward a situation where that is the normal window after the pandemic is over.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Apparently this happened a few days ago and I'm just now seeing it.....

Los Angeles Movie Theaters Can Expand to 50% Capacity

Los Angeles movie theaters because venues will be able to increase indoor capacity from 25% (or 100 people) to 50% (or 200 people).

variety.com

 

[Tino]

Tomorrow is the day. I’m fully vaccinated and have tickets for the 1pm IMAX showing of Godzilla vs Kong. First time back in a theater since last March.

So I went. I felt relatively safe. Everyone was wearing a mask and we were seated socially distant. Very weird being back but glad I went. Not sure I’ll go as frequently but for special events I may make the trek. As long as the Pandemic doesn’t interfere again.

 

[TravisR]

Not sure I’ll go as frequently but for special events I may make the trek.

Whenever I get the vaccine, the people at AMC are going to mistake me for one of the recliners, I'm going to be there so much.

 

[Malcolm R]

Whenever I get the vaccine, the people at AMC are going to mistake me for one of the recliners, I'm going to be there so much.

Just make sure you don't lay there so long your skin becomes one with the furniture:

 

[Josh Steinberg]

So that’s why my back aches!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

California plans to allow movie theaters to operate at 100% capacity, with no social distancing requirements, by mid-June

That could be a major boon to the box office for Black Widow, especially if New York State follows suit.

 

[TravisR]

California plans to allow movie theaters to operate at 100% capacity, with no social distancing requirements, by mid-June

That could be a major boon to the box office for Black Widow, especially if New York State follows suit.

I'm not a scientist but that seems like that could cause quite a problem for the people who aren't vaccinated by that point. It seems like a lot of people (including state governments and myself to some degree) are already of the mindset that the pandemic is basically over but that is probably not a realistic appraisal of the situation. 100% capacity in a movie theater when large chunks of the population who have refused to (or can't) get the vaccine means that the virus will rip through those people.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I'm not a scientist but that seems like that could cause quite a problem for the people who aren't vaccinated by that point. It seems like a lot of people (including state governments and myself to some degree) are already of the mindset that the pandemic is basically over but that is probably not a realistic appraisal of the situation. 100% capacity in a movie theater when large chunks of the population who have refused to (or can't) get the vaccine means that the virus will rip through those people.

Except for the small percentage of people with medically valid reasons why they can't get vaccinated, I'm not too worried about people who won't be vaccinated by that point. All indications are that by mid-June anybody in the United States who wants to get the vaccine will have the opportunity, and then just need to utilize common sense until they've reached full immunity. Those who refuse will have made their beds, and they can lie in them.

The bigger concern for me is that a mutation that defeats the vaccine develops among the unvaccinated population, and then we all have to go into lockdown again until they have a booster for the variant. That's what I wish more people would understand: that we're in a race against the virus, and the only way to defeat it is to stamp it out before it can outsmart our weapons against it.

Obviously, a lot could happen between now and mid-June that upends our expectations completely.

 

[Mysto]

Except for the small percentage of people with medically valid reasons why they can't get vaccinated, I'm not too worried about people who won't be vaccinated by that point. All indications are that by mid-June anybody in the United States who wants to get the vaccine will have the opportunity, and then just need to utilize common sense until they've reached full immunity. Those who refuse will have made their beds, and they can lie in them.

The bigger concern for me is that a mutation that defeats the vaccine develops among the unvaccinated population, and then we all have to go into lockdown again until they have a booster for the variant. That's what I wish more people would understand: that we're in a race against the virus, and the only way to defeat it is to stamp it out before it can outsmart our weapons against it.

Obviously, a lot could happen between now and mid-June that upends our expectations completely.

They say you can't cure stupid! We can. We have a virus for it.

 

[Walter C]

I went to the theater this week, first time since December 2019. And it was to an independent one, as I chose this one over AMC, even though it was farther away from where I live. The deciding factors for me to choose the independent one, were (1) the daytime showtimes and (2) every other row being closed off for social distancing. AMC was not doing either of those things. And to be more safer, I have been wearing 2 masks whenever I go out, as I still have not been vaccinated (I know, I know). And if someone sat near me, and took their mask off to eat or drink, I would move. And if more people came in, I would have left before the movie ended.

Luckily for me, I was the only one in the theater. Still kept my masks on. It helped that it was on a nice day, so more people will probably want to spend it outside. And on a weekday, at a time of day when kids should be in school.

Will I try to do this again? Not anytime soon, as I will not try to push my luck again. And after being vaccinated, I will try to wait out until the last day a particular film is in the cinemas, where I could possibly be the only one in the theater. The downside to that, is trying to avoid spoilers.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Pacific Theatres not reopening, all of its locations closing permanently

Among the holdings: the iconic Cinerama Dome in Hollywood.

The theatre also owns the Vineland Drive-In, the last remaining drive-in in Los Angeles county, which has been operating during the pandemic. No word if that is being shut down as well.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I have now had both doses of the vaccine and I got a pass for a sneak preview of In the Heights on Sunday. So it will be my first movie in a theater since Onward last March. Actually, it will be only my ninth outing of any kind at all since the pandemic hit.

It's both exciting and a little bit weird to be going back after such a long hiatus. I believe that with the vaccine, my risk is lower than it has been in a long time, so I'm willing to accept that for this movie at this time in this way. Honestly, I'm also just a tiny bit nervous about it. I don't know if I will be going as often as I used to yet and we'll see how this one goes. But I have to go back sometime and I'm glad that it will be for a movie I care deeply about from the show.

 

[Tino]

I have now had both doses of the vaccine and I got a pass for a sneak preview of In the Heights on Sunday. So it will be my first movie in a theater since Onward last March. Actually, it will be only my ninth outing of any kind at all since the pandemic hit.

It's both exciting and a little bit weird to be going back after such a long hiatus. I believe that with the vaccine, my risk is lower than it has been in a long time, so I'm willing to accept that for this movie at this time in this way. Honestly, I'm also just a tiny bit nervous about it. I don't know if I will be going as often as I used to yet and we'll see how this one goes. But I have to go back sometime and I'm glad that it will be for a movie I care deeply about from the show.

I felt the same way when I went back to see Godzilla vs Kong. Once there I felt pretty good with the social distancing and everyone wearing masks. It felt weird and normal at the same time.

I haven’t been back yet because there just hasn’t been anything I want to see. Good Luck Jake!

 

[Malcolm R]

Local theaters are making noises about reopening toward the end of the month. They opened for about a month around the time Tenet was released, but closed again when the studios kept withholding further new releases.

Regionally, I know of only one multiplex and one arthouse theater that have been open regularly since last summer. All of Vermont's theaters are independents, so they all set their own reopening policies.