Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will allow movie theaters in his state to reopen starting April 27, but exhibition insiders stress that it would be nearly impossible for most major chains to start business back up by next week.
Movie theater circuits believe that it reopening won’t just be like flicking a switch. AMC Theaters, Regal Cinemas, Cinemark and other chains have furloughed or laid off almost all employees, and locations across the U.S. have been entirely shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. It would take longer than a week, insiders say, to re-hire staff and then train them in proper safety procedures.
Kemp’s announcement, which is in line with President Donald Trump’s first phase in the process of reopening the country, will require companies to observe strict social distancing measures and implement enhance sanitation. Workers will also have to be screened for illness, the governor said.
But even if employees were able to return to work swiftly and without the virus, there’s also a question of liability. Theater owners are still exploring legal issues they could face, should audiences get infected with COVID-19 from going to their movie theater. It’s uncertain whether the burden would fall on the exhibitor or the state.
As it stands, theater chains are still trying to determine what their safety procedures will be when they’re allowed to reopen. Some, such as AMC, have signaled they may take patrons’ temperatures, while others, such as Cinemark, have played down that possibility. They are also working out the best way to ensure that their customers adhere to social distancing dictates, and are outlining how to seat moviegoers to ensure they aren’t coughed on and are six feet away from other patrons. And that’s if customers can be convinced it’s safe to return in the first place.
(Excerpt) Read more in: Variety