Major movie theater chains shut down amid coronavirus. Here are some at-home options
As businesses shut down to slow the spread of coronavirus, several major movie theater chains are doing the same, but there are still options to watch the latest box office hits.
Regal, Cinemark and AMC theaters have all shut their doors during the coronavirus pandemic. As of Tuesday, there were more than 5,800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins.
“It’s our goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for our employees and guests,” Regal said in a statement on Twitter. “We value your patronage and have no doubt we will be serving you again as soon as possible with a full slate of Hollywood blockbusters.”
Regal theaters will remain closed until further notice.
AMC Theatres announced that it would close all of its locations for “at least six-12 weeks,” according to a statement on Twitter. All of the chain’s memberships will be paused while it is closed.
Cinemark followed suit Tuesday, shutting down its theaters to slow coronavirus “until (they) believe it is safe to once again welcome moviegoers to (their) auditoriums,” according to an emailed statement.
What movie options are available as theaters close?
Universal Pictures said Monday that it would stop giving theaters an exclusive period to play new movies in theaters for about three months before they are available at home, according to The New York Times.
“We hope and believe that people will still go to the movies in theaters where available, but we understand that for people in different areas of the world that is increasingly becoming less possible,” Jeff Shell, chief executive of NBCUniversal, said in a statement.
Films like “The Hunt,” “The Invisible Man,” and “Emma” are all set to be available to rent in homes soon. “Trolls World Tour” will also be made available to rent in homes when it comes out April 10, according to the news outlet.
The New York Times reported that it’s likely other studios follow suit.
Walt Disney Studios has already started to release some of its hits early. Last week, “Frozen 2” was released on Disney+, three months ahead of schedule, according to USA Today.
The most recent Star Wars release, “Rise of Skywalker,” was also available for purchase about four days before it was scheduled, the news outlet reported.
Other major hits like “Birds of Prey” and “The Gentlemen” moved their video-on-demand release dates up to March 24, according to Vulture.
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 4:05 PM with the headline "Major movie theater chains shut down amid coronavirus. Here are some at-home options."