UK Theaters In Discussions For "End-June Reopening"

With theaters closed across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, movie fans are having to enjoy their favorite past-time at home, using the wide variety of streaming services available. But for many audiences, the question remains about when they will be able to return to cinemas. It has now been reported that theater owners in UK are hoping that they might able to reopen by late June.

According to Screen Daily, conversations are underway between exhibitors and the UK government about how and when to safely reopen to the public. The site states that industry bodies the UK Cinema Association (UKCA) and Film Distributors' Association (FDA) are developing proposals which will be presented to the authorities about the safest way to do this.

UKCA CEO Phil Clapp stated that while discussions were underway, it was ultimately a decision for the government. "We have been in discussion with government on the safeguards needed to protect audiences and staff," he said. "We believe these could be in place in time for an end-June reopening. We are, though, aware that government will have a host of considerations when deciding on when to allow UK sites to reopen. We have no timeline on when that decision will be made."

With all the of major movies due for a spring or early summer release postponed, the first major release will be Christopher Nolan's thriller Tenet, which is currently schedule to arrive on July 17. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Tim Richards, CEO of European cinema chain Vue, stated that he was hoping that theaters could reopen in time for this movie.

"I can see us hitting the ground running sometime in July," he said. "And with Christopher Nolan's Tenet on July 17, we're potentially looking at a major, major blockbuster film really kickstarting the business again."

In related news, Disney CEO Bob Chapek admitted this week that the studio had no idea when it would be able to start production on the many Marvel movies that are set for release over the next couple of years. Only two upcoming MCU movies have wrapped production--Black Widow and The Eternals, which are set to be released in November 2020 and February 2021 respectively.