AMC Theaters Reopening Postponed

UPDATE 2: AMC Theaters has pushed back its reopening date by two weeks due to the surge in new coronavirus cases. The theater chain giant will now reopen 450 of its 600 theaters on July 30 instead of July 15, according to Variety. That is, of course, unless COVID-19 numbers continue to spike. And when AMC Theaters does reopen, patrons will be required to wear face masks (see below). Our original report from June 19 follows. UPDATE: Following a public backlash, AMC Theaters has reversed course and will now require patrons to wear face masks once many of their theaters reopen July 15. The nation's leading theater chain had wished, as its CEO and President Adam Aron put it, to not to be “drawn into a political controversy" by requiring patrons wear face masks during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Read their full statement below:

It is absolutely crucial that we listen to our guests. With the full support of our scientific advisors, we are reversing course and are changing our guest mask policy. We now will require that all AMC guests nationwide wear masks as they enter and enjoy movies at our theatres. pic.twitter.com/DxS9pTjwSi

— AMC Theatres (@AMCTheatres) June 19, 2020

Our original report from June 18 follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] AMC Theaters plans to reopen 450 cinemas in the US on July 15 -- and won’t require people to wear masks so as not to be “drawn into a political controversy." The reopening will be in time for major releases such as Mulan (July 24) and Tenet (July 31). The nation's leading theater chain had closed over 600 locations in March due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. AMC CEO and President Adam Aron told Variety: “There were some jurisdictions in some states such as Georgia and Texas that allowed people to re-open theaters in mid-May. We opted to remain closed, so we could give the country time to get a better handle on coronavirus. We wanted to use this time to figure out how best to open and how to do so safely.” Included among those safety measures will be limited seating capacity, social distancing, new cleaning procedures, hand sanitizer stations, and, as the trade notes, AMC is also "encouraging contact-less and cash-free concessions." Will filmgoers be required to weak masks? According to AMC's new safety measures, employees are required to wear PPE such as face masks. As for patrons, "Protect yourself and others by wearing a mask, available for purchase if desired. In some municipalities, guests will be required to wear masks." “We did not want to be drawn into a political controversy,” AMC boss Aron told Variety. “We thought it might be counterproductive if we forced mask wearing on those people who believe strongly that it is not necessary. We think that the vast majority of AMC guests will be wearing masks. When I go to an AMC feature, I will certainly be wearing a mask and leading by example.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/why-amc-is-banning-universal-movies-ign-now"] Other leading exhibition chains such as Regal and Cinemark are also reopening their theaters mid-July. Deeply in debt and recently downgraded by Wall Street analysts, AMC Theaters has suggested the pandemic could force it into bankruptcy. The chain also remains at war with Universal Pictures over the studio's willingness to put some of its movies -- including Trolls World Tour, The King of Staten Island, and You Should Have Left -- on premium VOD instead of delaying their theatrical release.

from IGN News https://ift.tt/2NbwW7H
via IFTTT