New Yorkers will be able to reconnect with the reel, the darkness and the comfort of fleece chairs: the cinema is taking back possession of New York. The Big Apple cinemas will be able to reopen from March 5, almost a year to the day after their administrative closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. New York cinemas closed their doors on March 17, 2020 by decree of the mayor, Bill de Blasio.
The governor of the State of New York, Andrew Cuomo, announced the news Monday, specifying that this reopening will be done with a maximum capacity of 25% of the usual capacity and a limit of 50 spectators per room. This reopening sounds like a breath of fresh air for the film industry, New York being one of the two largest markets for American cinema with Los Angeles.
In the Californian city, capital of cinema, no reopening date has yet been announced. In San Francisco, the country’s third-largest market, authorities authorized the reopening in October, but many operators have chosen to remain closed, deeming the conditions imposed too economically penalizing.
A limited offer of films
The decision comes as the number of positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in New York City returns to early December levels, the start of the second peak of the pandemic. New York City is now aligned with the rest of the state, where theaters were allowed to reopen in mid-October.
However, some cinemas in the rest of New York State have decided to remain closed, believing that a reopening would not be economically viable. The low tonnage, restrictions on the sale of food and drink, as well as the absence of films likely to attract viewers, have thus dissuaded several operators from taking the plunge.
The release schedule has been shaken up by Hollywood studios which have postponed the arrival of most of the big budget movies. Disney and Warner have maintained a few titles, but opted for a simultaneous release, such as “Raya and the Last Dragon”, which will arrive in theaters and on the Disney + platform in early March.
Restore confidence in film distributors
The news is no less good, according to the American Association of Theater Owners (NATO). “The reopening (in New York) will give confidence to film distributors to set release dates and keep them,” said the association. “It is also an important step in the recovery of an entire industry. “
In a statement, Adam Aron, CEO of the AMC chain, the largest in the United States, announces that the group’s 13 theaters in New York will reopen on March 5. In contrast, Andrew Elgart, independent owner of three New York theaters, says he will “probably not” reopen on that date, although he is studying the possibility of doing so later. It is “not certain” that a restart will be profitable under these conditions.
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