So far, we’ve heard from AMC Theatres and Cinemark about their plans to reopen cinemas in North America by July to welcome aboard Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet,” the film industry’s hope to save the summer movie season. However, we still didn’t know what Regal Cinemas had planned. Well, unsurprisingly, it appears that Cineworld, the parent company to Regal, is following the lead of its competition.
According to Deadline, Cineworld has announced that the company plans to open all of its cinemas in July, just in time for “Tenet” and “Mulan.” The proclamation comes on the heels of many states and countries around the world beginning to reopen businesses in the wake of COVID-19. But even with the theaters opening this summer, Cineworld wants to ensure folks understand that the locations will be following the rules.
“Subject to this [restrictions being lifted] and confirmation of the schedule for film releases, Cineworld anticipates the reopening of all of its cinemas in July,” the exhibitor said. “Cineworld has put in place procedures to ensure a safe and enjoyable cinema experience for its employees and customers. Cineworld is excited by the great movie line up to follow the reopening of cinemas, starting with the highly anticipated new Chris Nolan movie ‘Tenet’ and immediately after that with Disney’s ‘Mulan.’”
The statement added, “Cineworld, as always, greatly believes in the theatrical experience and is fully committed to be the best place to watch a movie.”
As has been discussed extensively, Cineworld, as well as the other major cinema chains around the world, have said that the reopening in July is pending the decision of Warner Bros. regarding “Tenet.” If Nolan’s film moves from its July 17 premiere, it’s unlikely that the big cinema chains will rush to reopen by the summer. The tricky part is that WB needs assurances from the major chains that they will be open so that the studio can mitigate the risk of opening a $200 million action film in a world that is apprehensive about going back to cinemas.
Will this mean that WB has the full confidence to open “Tenet?” That remains to be seen. On social media and in press releases, the studio has stood firm on its July 17 date for the film. However, in the most recent trailer, WB stopped short of naming a specific date, only promising that Nolan’s film will hit theaters eventually.
