It’s been a funny old year so far. The Coronavirus lockdown has meant months of no cinema visits – film venues in the UK closing in accordance with social distancing measures as a matter of public safety. In turn, it’s meant that the year’s biggest blockbusters – from Bond to Black Widow, as well as Mulan, A Quiet Place Part II and more – have all been delayed. But with the government now beginning to loosen lockdown measures, the coming weeks will likely see cinemas once again open their doors – albeit with major changes to keep people as safe as possible.
From 4 July, high street shops and more non-essential services are allowed to start opening again – including cinemas, with some of the UK's biggest chains announcing their intentions to do so. Read on for more information about which venues are opening when, what safety measures will be in place, and what’s due to play when they do.
What are the safety measures?
While it’s a positive step that cinemas will be opening up again, it’ll likely be a while until packed audiences will be able to congregate shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the latest releases. Several cinema chains have spoken about the new safety procedures they’ll be taking in order to keep audiences as safe as possible.
Measures include: daily monitoring of staff health; increased levels of cleaning, with hand sanitiser made available to customers; staggered screening times to avoid large gatherings in foyers; reduced capacity and distanced seating in screenings; an emphasis on digital pre-booking and contactless payments; protective screens for staff at tills. At present, it seems wearing of masks won’t be enforced in cinemas – but they may be encouraged.
What will be showing?
There’s been plenty of emphasis on Christopher Nolan’s Tenet as the film that will bring audiences back en masse to cinemas – and in its new, slightly delayed release date, it’s due to open in the UK from 31 July. It’s not the first blockbuster out of the gates though – one week prior to that will see the long-awaited release of Disney’s Mulan on 24 July.
But it won’t just be new films heading to cinemas – in order to get people back in gear for returning to the big screen, the FDA has announced a list of 450 films for cinemas to choose from, allowing them to bring back legendary movies that audiences will want to experience all over again. Among the films listed are the Harry Potter, Back To The Future, Dark Knight and Matrix movies, plus recent Oscar winners Parasite, 1917, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Stay tuned as your local exhibitor reveals what will be screening near you.
When does my local cinema open?
Cineworld Cinemas
Because of new release date shifts, Cineworld has recently changed its plans, and is now looking to re-open on 31 July.
Vue Cinemas
As with Cineworld, Vue has also shifted its re-opening to 31 July.
Odeon
Odeon is yet to confirm an exact re-opening date, but is looking to welcome customers again in July. Stay tuned for more information.
Showcase
Showcase is planning to re-open from 4 July, but is yet to confirm opening details.
Picturehouse Cinemas
Picturehouse has confirmed that its cinemas will be re-opening from 31 July – though Edinburgh’s Cameo Cinema will remain closed in keeping with guidance from the Scottish government.
All information correct at time of writing. This article will be updated as new opening dates and safety procedures are confirmed.