And so the changes continue for UK cinema plans. Hot on the heels of both Tenet and Mulan moving their release dates to August, and the decision by Cineworld to delay its own return plans, Vue Cinemas has decided to follow suit, moving the first date for re-opening to 31 July.
It's disappointing for sure, but understandable given the shift in film release dates primarily impacted by the ongoing Coronavirus crisis in the US, where major distribution markets such as Los Angeles have seen cases, hospitalizations and deaths spike in recent days.
"Having taken comprehensive steps to safeguard our staff and customers, Vue is ready to welcome back customers to its U.K. cinemas to enjoy the escapism of the big screen experience. We know from successfully re-opening cinemas across Europe — including some 70 sites in Germany, Denmark, Holland, Lithuania, Poland and Italy — that audiences after lockdown are itching to enjoy the big screen experience again, with the added reassurance of rigorous new operating protocols and appropriate physical distancing," CEO Tim Richards tells Variety.
He continues: "We also want to offer a great choice of content for the big screen experience and, despite having many classic films and recent releases lined up to whet the appetite of cinema audiences this summer, the worldwide rescheduling of the release dates of Mulan and Tenet has prompted us to review our opening dates."
Vue is still planning to open back up with movies such as Inception and a remastered 4K release of The Empire Strikes Back, but stay tuned to see whether even the new date sticks. For all the details on the various primary chains' plans, head here.