The coronavirus pandemic has barely subsided in other parts of the world, but some parts of the United States are already insisting on reopening their economy. For instance, the state of Texas is allowing moviehouses to operate again.
Variety reports that the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, is allowing moviehouses to open by Friday, along with museums, retail stores, and restaurants. Abbott acknowledged that business would not be forced to operate if they did not want to and that these businesses would only be allowed to operate at 25 percent capacity.
Abbott’s decision has been met with caution by movie chains like Cinemark, AMC, and the Alamo Drafthouse, according to Deadline.
Quoting from statements, Deadline says that these chains would most likely open in July, as that is when a number of big-budget movies are expected to be released. A Cinemark spokesperson emphasized the July 17 release of Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” in their statement, while AMC has already said that they plan to reopen some weeks before the release of “Tenet” and Disney’s “Mulan” with creative programming that utilizes previously released films. The Alamo Drafthouse also announced that they would not be opening during the weekend and promised a safe experience once they do.
Moviehouses reopening would help the film and entertainment start recouping from the losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic. During the month of March, the North American box office suffered a deficit of $600 million because of moviehouse closures caused by lockdowns implemented to stem the spread of COVID-19. A $5 billion loss is also expected for the global film industry since South Korea and Japan have also closed moviehouses during the pandemic. The two countries are some of the film industry’s largest markets.
It is also in question whether audiences will be flocking to moviehouses once they reopen, as the lockdowns have started a reliance on streaming services for entertainment. Since the lockdowns, streaming giant Netflix added 16 million paid subscribers to their base, bringing their paid subscriber total to 187 million.
Coronavirus infections also continue to rise around the world, further casting doubt on whether audiences will want to go to a cinema. In the Apr. 28 situation report of the World Health Organization, it is revealed that there are now 2,954,222 confirmed COVID-19 cases globally. There are now 202,597 people who have died from COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s update for Apr. 28 says that the United States now has 981,246 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Deaths in the United States caused by COVID-19 are now at 55,258 people.