Regal Cinema Will Close All 543 Venues in the US

[Sherman A1]

Oh, this is not good and really just one of the sadder things to come out of this weekend. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to shut down, and those of us that cover the movie industry knew it was just a matter of time before a major company decided to cut their losses. It seems that we have our first major shutting, and it comes from Cineworld. According to Variety, Cineworld will close all 543 US locations of Regal Cinemas as soon as Monday, along with all cinemas across the United Kingdom and Ireland. This decision comes at the heels of MGM deciding to push back No Time To Die until April of 2021 in light of the pandemic and people not being comfortable returning to crowded movie theaters.

To make matters worse, it sounds like Cineworld is utterly dropping the ball on their 5000+ United Kingdom employees. The employees have had to set up their own group, Cineworld Action Group, a collective of employees supported by entertainment union Bectu, didn't learn about the closures from their management but from a preview of The Sunday Times according to their twitter account. "The front page of tomorrow's Times is announcing that Cineworld is planning to close all of its cinemas across the country as soon as this week putting all of our jobs at immediate risk. There has been no consultation with staff whatsoever," the account said. "We have found out vital information about our jobs from the media throughout the pandemic. Workers have been left out of discussions that should've included our voices. However, in this case, it goes beyond belief. To find out you may no longer have a job from the media is awful. The way we have been treated throughout the pandemic has been terrible. -We were initially sacked via inhuman scripted phone calls in March. -80% furlough has left many of us struggling to make ends meet. -Health and safety concerns have been consistently ignored. Words cannot express how this feels. Solidarity to all of our colleagues across Cineworld and Picturehouse."

The future of the movie theater is looking pretty bleak for the rest of 2020. At the moment, there are only a handful of holdouts for the year, and even then, no one really knows if those movies are going to come out. At the moment, Disney is denying the rumors that Soul is going to Disney+, but we'll have to see, and Death on the Nile is still on the schedule. Warner Bros. has Wonder Woman 1984 and Dune still on the schedule while Sony just moved Monster Hunter to December today.

Nothing about this Regal closure is good for anyone and sources are saying they could stay closed through 2021. Regal is the second largest domestic chain in the United States, so we have to wonder what is going to happen to AMC Theatres or smaller chains. Studios have every right to delay these movies; they have millions of dollars on the line that they are trying to make back, but now we're left wondering if there are going to be many theaters left for them to open these delayed movies in come 2021.

https://bleedingcool.com/movies/regal-cinema-will-close-all-543-venues-in-the-us/

[BlueStater]

1. Trump ruined this business, along with many others and many more soon to come.

[bdamomma]

10. he kills

everything he touches, us and our way of life.

VOTE AND GET THIS LIAR OUT.

[karynnj]

22. Note that they mention the same chain is closing all their UK cinemas as well as the US ones

I agree that the US would be far better off had Trump - completely at odds with everything we know of him - competently led the country to follow the science and been completely open about what was known and what was unknown. Extra points had he allowed our experts to work with the international community - possibly leading the world's effort.

However, none of that is in his DNA ... yet it would be second nature for Biden, Obama, either Clinton, Kerry etc It would be easy to defend this is true for any of them. It would been true even for George or Jeb Bush. Acting that way would have been the standard, normal bipartisan US position since WWII. That was WHY the US President was called the leader of the free world.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Independent movie theaters are also closing.

My hometown had a small movie theater since 1929 and it finally closed last month. It was the proverbial jewel-in-the-crown for our business district. Movie goers would have dinner and then a movie. They'd take their kids to the movies and then buy ice cream. They survived picketing by parents in the Seventies for showing "I Am Curious Yellow." They survived the Depression. They survived all the economic downturns for more than 80 years. The building is now for sale. It's on the marque.

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[Hstch05]

5. Well, Crap

The vast majority of movie theaters in my area are Regal Theaters. It is truly a shame, and completely unnecessary.
The independent theatre in Richmond, The Byrd, does 2nd run movies, classics, and film festivals . It is a historic landmark that has really been trying to keep afloat during this shut down. They've set up "virtual screening rooms" where you can rent or buy streaming movies via their web site, they've been renting out their iconic marquee for messages, monthly subscription fees for the concession stand (when they are open...) and have opened the theater up for Quarantine Pod Movie Nights (You can rent the space for between 10-30 people and bring your own blu-ray to watch). I hope they'll be able to get back to business soon.

[Tanuki]

8. This is so sad! Is there any way the community can come together

to save it? In my town (Nashville), a wonderful community theater ( the Belcourt) was reimagined as a non-profit, and is our lifeline for independent and foreign films, and so much more. It can be done! Don't lose this treasure if there is any way to hold on to it.

http://www.belcourt.org/about/history

[no_hypocrisy]

9. Here's the tragedy: about three years ago, the Community *did* raise money to save this theater.

And here we are.

[XanaDUer2]

18. That's awful

[Vogon_Glory]

3. Drive-Ins. In earlier times and with earlier tech

I would have bet on their surviving. But I don’t think there are enough of them left to support a big movie premiere.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. I'm crying.

One of the few luxurious we had when times were tight, was going out to see a movie.

In fact, the thing I missed most was popcorn and a drink at the theater.

Well, I'm sure Hollywood will do a better job of offering us good options through pay per view-on demand channels. And microwave popcorn sales will go up.

[Hugin]

6. This was inevitable and one of the saddest outcomes of the situation for me personally...

along with the strife in the food services industry.

One of the earliest and most striking statistics of the effects of the pandemic (and this was before any official shutdown orders.) Was that a normally hundreds-of-million box office weekend nationwide brought in only $5,000. FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS! Let that sink in... Absolutely nobody was going to the cinema.

Also, this could have been avoided! Things could have been very different had there been a very early national pandemic response. If done properly, we in the US might have been almost back to near regular activity at least four months ago. Now, probably never. Because, the virus has permeated the US and pockets of infection will remain flaring up for decades. THIS IS ALL TRUMP'S (and the Republican enabler's) FAULT.

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

7. is it just me, or is the plague bring out the asshole in everyone ?

damn. cold shit right there.
i havent been to the movies in a while, but when my kids were still home we went to the movies on xmas day every year.

not surprising tho. w streaming services eating into the biz already. but still... cold, just cold.

[pwb]

11. I am not a big movie goer but this sucks.

The best Chinese restaurant in town closed for good.

[Trumpocalypse]

12. FYI

[littlemissmartypants]

27. Why do you keep posting this over and over and over again?

It's never appropriately located or relevant.

FYI.

You'd be better regarded and maybe actually effective if you just used it to start your own original post in a variety of more appropriate groups or forums.

The way you're doing it just looks very noobie spammy and obtuse.

I hope you can figure it out for yourself but if you need any help I'm sure many here would oblige.

As for me, I'm using the block feature so I will never see you post it or anything else again.

Cheers.

[Klaralven]

13. AMC might survive for a while -- but the movie business is pretty much over

After streaming and Covid, it is in real trouble.

[Renew Deal]

15. I wouldn't call it over.

It’s going to change in the short term and likely recover in the very long term. The movie going experience is still a good one in updated theaters.

[Klaralven]

25. I think that AMC has invested more in it's theaters and has Dalian Wanda backing it.

So they might survive, especially if they have less competition.

[BlueStater]

23. I doubt it.

Radio still exists despite the predictions that television would kill. Some people prefer watching new movies in a theater as opposed to home.

[Klaralven]

26. Radio is a completely changed business since before television

Around 70% of radio listeners do either all or most of their listening in their vehicles. Programming has completely changed since the days of Arthur Godfrey.

[brooklynite]

14. Our UA cinema has put up a marquee sign:

THEATRES OPEN SAFELY IN 48 STATES
WHY NOT NEW YORK

[Renew Deal]

16. What is the other state?

California?

[brooklynite]

17. Guessing CT

[bagimin]

19. OMG

America will not be the same after this idiot

[Yavin4]

24. The optimist in me agrees with you and says: We have the chance to make it better. Much better.

First step is to get rid of Trump and his enablers in the senate.

[oasis]

20. Trumpvirus. He owns the calamity. nt

[Boogiemack]

21. A nation without art, music, and literature in no nation at all.

We are so screwed! It is maddening knowing it just didn't have to be this bad. I lost the love of my life from COVID19 at a time when Trump knew how devastating this virus was but most of the public did not, including medical staff and caregivers. We found out right on the cusp of public awareness and I could not be with my love at the end after weeks in isolated rehab. It still tears me up thinking about it.

We did have our music to share using FaceTime or zoom and recorded messages using the cell phone. The music had to speak for us since my loved one could not speak.

DAMN IT ALL!!

[Hugin]

28. That is a horrifyingly tragic story, Boogiemack.

I'm so sorry for your loss and ultimately for what we've all lost.

Art, music, literature and those who pursue them are all still very much alive. I hope one outcome of the current strife is that more learn to appreciate them for what they are instead of what they're worth.