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Well, that was… quick? Not literally quick: movie theaters have been closed for months. Quick in the sense of… woah, that came out of nowhere. We’ve spent most of the last few months debating whether or not theaters will be open in time for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet on July 17, now here are we a full month out and theaters in California are already opening. Is that a good idea? That’s not for me to say — I’m a writer, not a doctor. But would I personally attend a 25%-full movie theater right now? Absolutely.
Anxious theater owners — and Hollywood studios — are being given the go ahead to flip on the lights later this week by California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and the Department of Public Health. This means that Warner Bros. may still be able to launch Christopher Nolan’s Tenet in cinemas on July 17 as originally planned.
In addition to reducing capacity to 25 percent, California is recommending a host of other safety measures, including: limiting the flow of patrons into a theater so as to ensure that patrons are six feet apart; blocking off seats; requiring face masks when entering and exiting a theater, and at the concession stand; consider using disposable or washable seat covers; prop open doors at peak periods of traffic; consider limiting the number of customers using the bathroom at one time and reconfigure parking lots. [via The Hollywood Reporter]
While the upcoming summer movie schedule is not as robust as usual, there are still a handful of notable films due out this summer, particularly the aforementioned Tenet, Unhinged (July 1), Mulan (July 24), The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run and Wonder Woman 1984 (August 14).
At this time, it’s unclear when New York City — the United States’ second-largest moviegoing market — will re-open their movie theaters.
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Eric is a New York City-based writer who still isn’t quite sure how he’s allowed to have this much fun for a living and will tell anyone who listens that Gotham City is canonically in New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter @eric_ital for movie and soccer takes or contact him eric@brobible.com