California says cinemas can reopen by Friday with crowd limits
LOS ANGELES – Movie theatres can reopen in California as early as Friday if they receive approval from local officials, limit attendance and impose other safeguards to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the state’s health department said on Monday.
Cinemas closed their doors around the world in mid-March to help curb the coronavirus pandemic.
To welcome back guests, they must cap attendance at 25 per cent of normal capacity, or a maximum of 100 people, whichever is lower, according to California Department of Public Health guidelines.
Among other precautions, ticket holders must be told to stay six feet apart (1.8m) and wear masks except when eating or drinking.
Hollywood movie studios are hoping enough theatres will be open to hold a late-summer blockbuster season.
AT&T Inc’s Warner Bros currently plans to release director Christopher Nolan’s thriller Tenet on July 17, and Walt Disney Co aims to debut the action epic Mulan on July 24.
The former is slated to open in Singapore on July 16, and the latter on July 23.
In California, theatres must receive approval for their reopening plans from county health officials, who should consider rate of coronavirus infection, local preparedness to handle new cases and other metrics, the state guidelines said.
The most important region to the film industry is Los Angeles County, the biggest movie market in the US.
Officials there reported an uptick in new infections over the weekend.
The National Association of Theatre Owners has said it expects 90 per cent of theatres worldwide to be open by mid-July.
Cinemark Holdings Inc plans to open five theatres in Texas on June 19 to test new safety procedures.
Cineworld Group Plc, owner of Regal Cinemas in the US, said it believes all of its theatres will reopen in July.
AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc, the world’s largest theatre chain, has said its theatres will remain shuttered through June. - REUTERS
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
