I’m going to be honest; I miss going to the movies! What a rush it was to walk past the overpriced concession stand, knowing I was sneaking Chic-Fil-A into the theater. Would I get caught? No, because the employees did not care. Then as I turned the corner into the auditorium, it was time to find out what kind of audience would be watching the movie with me. There are so many types of movie audiences! The loud laughers who react to every single joke. The line reciters who quote every line directly after the main character, like they’re preparing for an acting audition. The snackers who spend the whole movie rummaging through their tub of popcorn. My personal favorites, the silent spectators who watch the movie quietly. I’ve watched with all types of fellow moviegoers waiting to see if we were about to watch a masterpiece or a flop. That’s all part of the fun just taking in the movies without fear of a global pandemic coming our way.
On March 1st, I went to see Emma in theaters without any idea of what was about to happen. Less than two weeks later, the world had descended into chaos, and I had no clue when I would step foot into a theater again. After two months of lockdown, some states have started to lift restrictions while still encouraging social distancing guidelines. Many events that used to seem normal, like movies, sporting events, and concerts, are huge question marks for the future with the coronavirus looming. It’s unknown when we will be able to return to a life with these activities. Some movies like Trolls: World Tour and Scoob have skipped the theater experience altogether and opted for VOD. That isn’t exactly an ideal possibility for big blockbusters. James Bond: No Time To Die, Mulan, and Black Widow were all supposed to be released by now but moved because of the coronavirus outbreak. What does the future look like for these and other films? Will we see theaters reopen this year? Is it even a safe option?
As of right now, big theater chains like AMC and Regal are closed until there is any new content on the calendar, which looks to be July. The first major theatrical release on the calendar is Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, currently set for July 17th. Nolan has a huge built-in fan base with previous films like Inception, The Dark Knight, and Interstellar. His movies always draw significant audience turnout. The July 17th release date could easily change as every other release date has lately, but, interestingly, Warner Brothers has not moved it yet. If Tenet does open in July, it will be very interesting to see what it does for the film industry. I wonder if people will get out and see it or be more reluctant to go back to the theaters. I have a feeling the second I post this a news article will come out that says Tenet has been moved, making this entire post irrelevant.
If nothing changes with current release schedules, Disney’s live-action Mulan is on track to release the following week on July 24th. (It was previously set to be out in March …that didn’t work out obviously.) On the one hand, the Tenet/Mulan combo would be huge for the movie industry and box office. On the other hand, can people socially distance and stay safe at the theaters while trying to see these movies? It’s just a tough situation as we all try to navigate how to live in the age of coronavirus.
Other notable releases still tracking for the summer include Wonder Woman 84 on August 14th, Bill and Ted Face the Music (yes, A Bill and Ted sequel) on August 21st, and A Quiet Place II on September 4th. We’ll see if all of these movies keep these dates, but that’s where everything stands right now.
How do you feel about potentially going back to the theater this summer? Going to the movies is one of my favorite things to do, but truthfully, I don’t know when I’ll go back. This has been a terrifying time, unlike anything we’ve ever lived through. Right now, I’m just keeping up with the data and taking things one step at a time. I hope everyone is staying safe!
