Happy days are here again… local and state authorities in California have given Los Angeles’ movie theatres the green light to re-open beginning on Monday 3/15, beginning with a limit of serving no more than 25% of maximum capacity. After 12 months of forced closure, exhibitors are relieved to be able to open their doors again and welcome back customers.
This is a turning point in the recovery of the movie business. Traditionally, Los Angeles has been the largest theatrical market in the U.S., producing nearly two times the box office of New York, the country’s second-largest theatrical market. With New York re-opening 10 days ago and Los Angeles cleared to re-open this week, studio execs are feeling more secure in their plans to begin releasing big-budget films from their stockpiles. By offering these new releases once again, exhibitors will give their customers a good reason to emerge from their COVID hibernation and return to their local cinema.
See also: 2 AMC Theaters Will Reopen Monday in LA County (Spectrum News 1 – Los Angeles)
“We never close, we’re open every day of the year. We opened immediately after the earthquake when it was safe. So it was shocking, certainly, to be closed the last year. It [has been] an empty feeling, but [we now have] a great deal of excitement knowing that soon our customers will be returning.”
– Jay Reisbaum, Sr. Vice President at Laemmle Theatres