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I’m so tired of everything reopening, of people socializing like everything is fine, and of seeing people without masks in stores. A new study just came out finding that New York City’s early coronavirus death rate is comparable to the 1918 pandemic. We’re living through one of the worst pandemics in history and instead of locking everything down and limiting gatherings, the government and big corporations are actively trying to kill people. That’s preface to this story about AMC theaters, the largest movie chain the US, saying they’re going to open, for sure, next week. They announced three weeks ago that they would be opening in mid to late August, after several false starts. The official reopening date for 100 locations is now August 20th, with 2/3 of all theaters open by September 3. Tickets and refreshments will be cheaper to incentivize people to risk their lives by going to the movies.
AMC Theaters has detailed its plans to reopen movie theaters throughout the US, in addition to a new deadline for its MoviePass-style A-List subscription, in an email sent to customers on Wednesday.
Starting August 20th, AMC plans to have more than 100 theaters open, and it says it will continue opening locations “such that about two-thirds of our theatres across the country should be open no later than September 3.” AMC has repeatedly delayed its reopening as spread of the coronavirus has caused massive spikes in positive cases in parts of the US that have started to ease restrictions.
The company, the largest theater chain in the country, operates around 600 theaters in the US. But AMC has faced significant challenges to its business throughout the COVID-19 pandemic due to forced closures and a near-standstill in Hollywood releases, causing AMC to furlough large swaths of its corporate workforce as it edged close to bankruptcy.
“The remaining AMC locations will open after we get further clearance from state and local authorities that it is safe to do so,” the company writes in an email sent to AMC A-List members. As part of its new safety measures, AMC says all staff and customers must wear masks, following a controversial remark from AMC CEO Adam Aron in June in which he suggested mask-wearing among customers would be encouraged but not mandatory.
The email says customers “can expect continuous extra cleaning and disinfecting of high traffic areas,” that hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes would be widely available, and that AMC will “significantly limit seating capacity in our auditoriums.” The company claims it will use “high-tech HEPA vacuums” and “upgraded MERV 13 air filters wherever possible .”
The Verge goes on to report that tickets on opening day will be just 15 cents and then $5 thereafter for already-run movies. They’re showing classics and newer films like Back to the Future, Beauty and the Beast, Black Panther, Bloodshot, Ghostbusters, Goonies, and The Empire Strikes Back. Movies premiering will be The New Mutants on August 28th and Tenet on September 3rd. They’re also promoting a new moviepass-like subscription where you can see unlimited movies for under $24. Popcorn and drinks will be $5 each.
Read that last line in the quote above, they’re using HEPA vacuums and special air filters “wherever possible.” They’ve also mandated masks after saying they won’t be required because of “politics,” but how are teenagers working there going to enforce that? We’ve seen MAGAs attack grown men in grocery stores for their asinine right to go maskless. This isn’t going to end well. Judging by the way that schools have been reopening and closing after the virus spreads, I think we can give this about ten days.
Photos credit: Krists Luhaers on Unsplash, Getty, Warner Brothers and 20th Century Studios
Sure. Let’s continue with science experiments. It’s only human lives. Let the idiots eat brioche.
Will they post which theaters have the upgraded filters or….oh right the people who are going to go don’t care
Basically, my sentiment is that while I totally want people to take personal responsibility and use common sense, I hate that we’re being forced into this culture of side-eying people for going to businesses that are legally open. It is the government’s responsibility to keep businesses that are unsafe shut down. Movie theaters are not essential and, from my understanding, pose a huge health risk due to the length of time patrons spend indoors, eating with their hands, able to take their masks off in the dark, etc. I feel like it’s a distraction to just be like “look at these idiots going to the movie theater!” when there’s the much larger issue of our “leaders” not believing in science and not promoting mask usage; a lack of testing and fast results; endless issues with unemployment and a resistance to continuing an additional $600 to help people out, etc.
I only see my parents and barely leave my house, so yes, I judge the hell out of people going about their lives as though everything is normal. But I can’t separate the two issues.
Yes! Not only is the GOP administration doing nothing to help us, Mitch McConnell is actually blocking the recovery bill because he wants liability protections for corporations like AMC in there.
Oh man, I would love to take my kids to see some of these movies on the big screen, like Empire and Goonies. I wont, but I would love to.
I don’t think the theaters will stay open, it just seems like such a perfect storm for covid.
Good luck. I personally will not be setting foot in a movie theater this year. It’s MAYBE fifty/fifty that I will in 2021.
I miss restaurants (the takeout food isn’t quite as good or fresh), but I can happily live my life without a movie theater for a very, VERY long time.
But seriously, if you haven’t visited an AMC Theater in the past 2-years you’d be pleasantly surprised at the generous space between the stadium-style sitting wide aisles as well as the wide, comfortalbe leather reclyners that, by nature of their size, would make an ‘every other seat’ seating rule fair distancing, with a mask.
If AMC Theaters ensure 6 ft distancing–and with the new reclyners and wide aisles in AMC theaters, that’s entrely possible–I don’t see the harm in it. Going to the movies has always been one of my favorite things since I was a little girl–many years ago … and has been one of the things I’ve missed the most during our ‘remote’ living these past 6-months.
Perhaps this presents me as a tad out of step for preferring ‘big screen viewing over online viewing,’, but so be it. LOL! And even if they show decades old blockbusters for their ‘1920’ tickets prices … I’m all in! 🙂
Distancing 6′ from others when you are sitting inside a room with them for 1.5+ hours is pointless unless they are moving fresh air or turning over air extremely frequently which it sounds like they MIGHT do MAYBE in some places. Even then with the best air filtration system if the guy right behind you coughs or sneezes or laughs and is a carrier of the virus, guess who’s catchin the virus.
It’s not as if the government is doing a lot to support most businesses. Like many others, they reopen when/as they are allowed or they won’t reopen at all. While I don’t care about AMC stockholders, I do care about all those employees. The increased unemployment funds have ended, and no one can live off UI otherwise.
The longer we pretend everything is as it was before the pandemic, the longer people will suffer and die, the longer we’ll be stuck indoors.
The wherever possible is really something. Weasel words. Save “up to” 1000 dollars! Well, I won’t be there.
I love going to the movies, especially the new theaters with the nice seats, but I won’t be doing this. I’ve BARELY gone out anywhere or seen anyone, and I’m currently waiting for test results because I picked something up somewhere. There’s no way I’m sitting at an indoor theater until it’s safe.
How do you eat popcorn and drink soda with a mask on?