The exhibition sector, after months of essentially no revenue, hoped that the release of Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” would be their saviour. Instead, the film has disappointed at the box-office domestically (though done fairly decently internationally).
Soon after, studios delayed numerous films with one of the last left standing being “No Time to Die,” the fifth and final Daniel Craig as James Bond film which was actually the first major tentpole to move back when the coronavirus pandemic began.
This past week it became the last of the major studio tentpoles scheduled for this Fall to be pushed into 2021, the only big titles left for this year are now arriving at Christmas assuming no more delays. Cineworld has already indicated its essentially shutting down for the rest of the year, while AMC is reportedly in a rather dire place financially without some outside assistance.
This weekend, National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) chief John Fithian has now pointed a finger of blame at one man – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Fithian tells Variety that Cuomo’s decision to keep cinemas closed indefinitely is robbing studios of the major market to show their films:
“The failure of Gov. Cuomo to allow movie theaters to reopen anywhere in his state was a principal, if not exclusive, cause of the Bond move. If New York remains closed to theater operations, other movies scheduled for 2020 will move as well.
I just don’t understand it. I know the governor has done a fantastic job combatting the virus. I know he’s got some increases of infections in some limited areas in the state. But restaurants in New York are open, gyms are open, churches are open, indoor dining is being offered.
Our recommendation, our urgent plea, is for Gov. Cuomo to allow movie theaters to reopen in the portions of the state that aren’t having spikes in the virus. There are now only two states that are entirely closed to moviegoing – New York and New Mexico.”
Fithian also says several studios have entertained the possibility of moving movies back into 2020 if a few factors were addressed, the number one being New York coming back online. Cinemas in not just most U.S. states but much of the world have been back in business since late August, and not a single case of COVID-19 has been linked to a movie theater to date.
Click here to read the full interview.