The global coronavirus pandemic is still wreaking havoc on the film and entertainment industry all over the world, but it looks like Chinese movie theaters might get a respite. This is because the Chinese Film Administration has announced that they can finally reopen.
The Hollywood Reporter reveals that the Chinese Film Administration has given the green light for movie theaters to reopen on July 20. In the notice put out by the organization, it called on the theaters to reopen in “an orderly manner.”
However, the green light does not extend to all of the movie theaters in China. The directive will only allow cinemas in “low-risk” areas to operate again. The closure continues for movie theaters that are located in regions that are considered “middle and high-risk.”
Deadline also outlined the measures these cinemas have to follow should they reopen. The Chinese Film Administration requires the theaters to submit work arrangements to local government officials and have an epidemic prevention and control plan. Movie theaters are also required to submit the time of their reopening to the government.
Aside from those measures, the Chinese Film Administration is also requiring theaters to have personnel inspections, environmental disinfection, as well as an emergency plan ready. Lines and crowds will also have to be controlled.
The reopening couldn’t have come any sooner, as even the country’s biggest cinema chain operator, Wanda Film, has suffered a loss in the hundreds of millions due to movie theaters being closed since January.
According to the company, there are set to lose anywhere between $214 and $228 million, which is a huge drop from the $75 million net profit they reported in the same period last year. This is due to all 600 of their cinemas in China being closed for almost half of 2020 due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
China has tried multiple times to reopen its theaters, with March being the first date announced. That reopening was eventually moved to May 8 due to fears of a second outbreak occurring. However, cinemas did not reopen on May 8. Cinemas were ordered to remain closed on June 11 after a coronavirus outbreak in a food processing plant was discovered.
While movie theater reopenings may soon be a possibility for China, the same cannot be said for the rest of the world as confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to rise. According to the July 15 situation report from the World Health Organization, there are now 13,150,645 confirmed COVID-19 cases around the globe. Deaths caused by COVID-19 are now at 574,464 people.