While the coronavirus pandemic is still far from dying down in the United States, different states are already making moves to restart their economies. The latest to do so is the state of California, which is planning to reopen its movie theaters on Jun. 12
According to The Hollywood Reporter, California Governor Gavin Newsom has already allowed the reopening of movie theaters in the state after the release of an industry guidance document that calls for strict social distancing as part of the safety measures in place.
Aside from social distancing, Variety also detailed the other measures recommended by the released industry guidance document. Aside from limiting theater capacity to 25 percent, moviegoers will also be required to wear face coverings throughout their time in the theater, whether in their seats or buying refreshments.
Theaters are also being asked to put in a reservation system so that the number of people can be limited. Drinking water fountains will also be closed or labeled inoperable so that it cannot be a hotspot for infection. Seat covers that are disposable or washable are also being recommended.
California’s move to reopen theaters follows the efforts of other states in Texas. Greg Abbott, the Gover of Texas, already allowed movie theaters in the state to open back in April, although theater chains expressed apprehension about opening their venues so early.
For instance, Cinemark expressed that they would probably open during the Jul. 17 release of Christopher Nolan’s film Tenet. AMC Theaters expressed the same sentiment, while the Alamo Drafthouse said they would not follow Abbott’s declaration and would instead open once they can provide a safe experience.
Reopening theaters will be the first step for the film and entertainment industry to recoup the losses brought about by the global coronavirus pandemic. Because of theater closures last March, the North American box office suffered a deficit of $600 million. A $5 billion loss is also expected from the global film industry due to the closure of movie theaters in big markets like South Korea and Japan.
Movie theaters will also have to deal with the increased usage of streaming services, bringing into question whether people will eve go to theaters once they reopen. The streaming giant Netflix has been able to add 16 million subscribers since the pandemic began, bringing their paid subscriber total to 187 million.
On top of that, the number of infected do not seem to be slowing down in the United States or around the world.
The Jun. 9 situation report from the World Health Organization puts the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide at 7,039,918 cases. Deaths caused by COVID-19 is now at 404,396 people.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update for Jun. 9 pegs the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States at 1,956,421. There are now 110,925 people who have died from COVID-19 in the United States.