Maybe he's trying to end the crowd over 70 ?

The situation is bad in New York. But the problem isn't unique to New York. One-third of all reported Covid-9 deaths in the US were from nursing homes, as of May 9. In New York, the share was 21%.

Yesterday, Ohio reported 1,031 Covid-19 deaths from nursing homes, accounting for nearly 58% of the state's total of 1,781. It seemed the lack of resources for testing and quarantine had made nursing homes a hotbed for the virus.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/09/us/coronavirus-cases-nursing-homes-us.html

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-deaths-ohio-nursing-homes/95-0287fad5-d13c-4730-bc7b-1e2b9c5e73f9

27% of the workers at a meat plant in North Carolina tested positive for the virus.

Think we will see a reversal of box office opening trends where Friday was make or break and OW was the be all end all indicator of success.

The opening weekend trend of the last 15 years is over. Given the lack of product movies will be able to stay in theaters longer. Lower profile films will move to streaming services. If only 25-50% full, many will also stagger visits over several weeks.

Would not be shocked if we see a 10X multiple from some summer blockbusters this year vs their opening weekends. Box office may act like the pre-Christmas season where OW is subdued but then people catch up over a longer period and see very long movie runs.

In addition the movies will still be released early to VOD to make more money (has been a trend in India for most movies to prevent piracy but it makes the studios enough money to recover a mid-budgeted movie's muted BO). Unless a movie makes it must watch in theaters (Tenet would be the right candidate) audience might just wait out for mid-tiered movies to have digital release.

so just over a month after this.................. You guys managed to fuck it up and somehow increase 46K cases in a day........

So you're saying that pretending like the virus just magically went away wasn't the best strategy to combat it? Pssh. Fake news.

lol Florida is the new epicenter, Coronavirus has finally hit the worst place on earth. lmao

Just read Jurasdic Park and Jaws are the top 2 at the b.o.

Not at AMC.

I would definitely do a drive in double feature of Park and Jaws though.

That is indeed the best strategy. Be an ostrich "Duck your head in the sand"

Can’t wait for when The King’s Man trailer plays before Tenet

^ Was that a reference to the release date delays?

Yes, I feel like I’ve seen the trailer a hundred times

It's like a miracle. It will disappear.

The virus is a political hoax!

When you test, you have cases. When you have more cases, it makes me look bad!

Wearing a mask is politically correct.


Can we undo the willful ignorance and idiocy and make the box office great again?

AMC theaters (and all others) are going to need a plan in place in the event that they won't be screening any big films for awhile after reopening.

My hometown theater, locally owned, reopened two-weeks ago and has been showing older films at a discounted price ($6 from the normal $8). And they're having daily concession deals (like a large popcorn, large drink and a candy item for $10 or two hotdogs and a medium drink for $4). In regards to movies, each week has had a theme so far: The first week they showed all the Harry Potter films, and this current week they're showing all the Fast & Furious films. Next week they're playing the Jurassic Park films.

And they've got these guidelines in place:

1. 25-person capacity per showing.
2. Every other row of seats is taped off.
3. Face-mask/covering must be worn at all times (besides when eating and drinking).
4. You can only sit together if you arrived together.
5. Customers aren't allowed in the lobby until directed to enter by staff.
6. And while not a guideline, they encourage buying tickets online and to avoid using cash (but will accept walk-ups and cash).

It's all working out for them so far (the owner is a friend and former school teacher of mine). I don't think people really mind watching older films in theaters again, it's the first viewing for many (in theaters in particular), as long as they're not paying full price for admission and concessions. They just want to get out and do a (cheap) activity/hobby again.

That's actually is a very good strategy. Smart owners

I just remembered how Sunday mornings usually meant weekend estimates. Sigh.

Weekend Estimates Indefinitely

1 Tenet $0
2 Wonderwoman $0
3 Fast 10 $0
4 Mulan $0
5 Sonic $0, total $150 m

Sonic is holding well given the tight competition. Really impressive!

When the US falls behind the rest of the world in terms of getting the epidemic under control, its global standing might suffer as a result. Domestic movie business and its adjacent industries will be the first to get hit. Depressed domestic demand and increasing production cost due to COVID might shift investment away from the US.

Perhaps distributors should move forward and begin plans for releasing films theatrically in international markets that have mostly gotten things under control and where theaters have either already reopened, or are beginning to reopen.

Because waiting on the U.S. to improve just isn't realistic, as we're clearly not going to get a handle on this virus anytime soon. There's just too high a percentage of government officials and too many individuals in the general public who have decided to make this more of a political issue than a safety issue to get anywhere as a country.

Yes I was thinking of the same. Instead of releasing movies on VOD studios should start releasing movies in OS markets where most movies earn their profits these days anyways.

They could do both. Release films on VOD in the U.S. day-and-date with the theatrical release in international markets.

But the biggest concern here are theaters in the U.S. not surviving. AMC was nearing financial collapse as early as late-May/early-June, so they announced they were reopening U.S. locations on July 15th, but then pushed that date back to July 30th because Tenet and Mulan moved to August. What happens if Tenet and Mulan move again? Can AMC, or other major chains, survive if they don't reopen by mid-August?

I was previously suggesting that the major chains make preparations to reopen ASAP and begin to show older films (like independent theaters are doing) at a discount to soften the financial strain a little, but that was when just a few states were getting worse, not most of them like now. So... I don't even think this strategy is workable now, especially when/if states begin to shutdown again.

Aren't other business open in US now? If every other sector is open I think theaters should also start with necessary precautions.