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 Ahead of that, operators are considering a transition period
when they open some locations in parts of the United States
where the novel coronavirus outbreak is receding fastest. That
could start as early as mid-June, said Patrick Corcoran,
spokesman for the National Association of Theatre Owners, though
he called any timeline "very tentative."
The timing will depend on guidance from health authorities, he
said.
Among the challenges theaters face are making sure filmgoers
feel comfortable gathering in groups and having a variety of
appealing movies. Hollywood studios are unlikely to release
big-budget films when they cannot mount a nationwide release.
Blockbusters such as Walt Disney Co's "Mulan" and "Wonder Woman
1984" from AT&T Inc's Warner Bros are currently scheduled for
late July and August.
"There are two schools of thought," Corcoran said. "People will
be very tense and careful and nervous, or people will just be
desperate to get out of the house. It's going to probably be a
mixture."
During their first weeks back in business, theaters likely will
show classic movies or films that were playing in March when
theaters went dark, Corcoran said.
That could mean reviving a beloved musical such as "Grease" or
running a marathon of "Back to the Future" or "Harry Potter"
movies, said Brock Bagby, executive vice president of
Missouri-based B&B Theatres, which operates 400 screens in seven
states.
Executives are brainstorming ways to draw audiences, such as
staging a costume contest around a "Harry Potter" film or
serving butterbeer, Potter's favorite beverage, Bagby said. Not
on the agenda are "sad or very heavy dramas," he said.
"We want the movies we bring back to bring joy to people," Bagby
said.
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Operators also are debating how visible to be with steps such as
extra cleaning, "whether it makes people comfortable or more
nervous," Corcoran said. "There's always a delicate dance with any
kind of precaution like that."
Theaters owners likely will look at restaurants and bars for clues
on how people are reacting. Safety measures may vary at different
cinema locations depending on local guidance, he added.
Bagby said B&B's locations will implement social distancing if
authorities recommend it. In the weekend before theaters closed, the
company cut auditorium capacity by 50% to leave room between seats
and had "zero issues," he said. Customers adhered to the practice
and some showtimes sold out at half-full, he said.
During the shutdown, theater chains and independent operators have
been trying to tap government assistance or other financing to stay
afloat. Cinemark Holdings Inc, for example, said on Monday it had
raised $250 million through a sale of debt.
Getting a full slate of Hollywood movies back on the calendar
depends not just on the United States. Studios will need receipts
from around the globe to support their most expensive films, said
Chris Aronson, president of film distribution at ViacomCBS Inc's
Paramount Pictures.
Paramount currently plans to release animated family film "Sponge
Bob: Sponge on the Run" on July 31. The studio moved another summer
flick, "Top Gun: Maverick," to December.
In China, the world's second-largest movie market, authorities
re-opened theaters in March following an extended closure, but
abruptly shut them two weeks later without explanation.
"If there is great uncertainty in major parts of the world," Aronson
said, "I think there are going to be issues opening major films."
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine Editing by Leslie Adler)
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