Posted in: Movies | Tagged: amc theaters, cinemark, coronavirus, regal cinemas

Cinemark to Close All 345 Theaters Due to Coronavirus Threat

Published Wed, 18 Mar 2020 08:15:14 -0500

Cinemark joins other major theater chains in shuttering their theaters on March 18 due to the coronavirus pandemic. CEO Mark Zoradi released a statement concerning the decision.

Cinemark Statement

"Through these absolutely unprecedented and evolving times, one thing will not change, and that is Cinemark's dedication to its team members and moviegoers. The decision to close our U.S. theaters was incredibly tough, but we know it is the right thing to do as global coronavirus concerns continue to escalate. We will closely monitor recommendations of national and local governmental health organizations and look forward to inviting everyone to once again enjoy experiencing the movies with Cinemark."

The biggest chains in Regal Cinemas and AMC shuttered their theaters on March 16 joining smaller companies Landmark Theatres, Cineplex Odeon, and Alamo Drafthouse. With numerous film and television productions suspended and film releases delayed, box office reached historic lows.

Numerous TV series' seasons will end prematurely due to the uncertainty of the outbreak.

An Industry Decimated

Among the major films affected: No Time to Die, Mulan, Trolls World Tour, The New Mutants, and Peter Rabbit 2. With uncertainty surrounding quarantine length, summer films like Fast & Furious 9 and Black Widow have also been postponed. Universal pushed F9 to 2021.

Other major industries like professional sports leagues also suspended play. Major League Baseball delayed the start of their season at least two weeks. Events like South by Southwest, Cinema Con, and E3 all canceled, some postponed. WWE's WrestleMania relocated from Tampa to the company's performance facility in Orlando. Like their weekly TV programs, the event will take place in front of an empty crowd. With the spread of the pathogen, cities became more stringent with their quarantines.

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