The impact of COVID-19 on the film industry has already been felt in numerous ways. Movie theaters have been closed, films’ release dates have been pushed back and many people have wondered if the entire model of theatrical distribution is about to change. As some states begin to relax social distancing regulations, it’s led to more questions — including how once-familiar spaces will look with a pandemic as an ongoing concern.
A new article by Ryan Lattanzio at IndieWire explores the ways that movie theaters in Texas are adapting and working to make things safer for attendees. Lattanzio notes that this isn’t a uniform decision — some theaters are remaining closed for the time being. Given that there aren’t any high-profile theatrical releases due out for a while, this is an understandable decision.
The article notes that EVO Entertainment will have two theaters open in the state as of Monday. What can moviegoers expect to find there?
Guests will be ferried through a cordoned area in the front door, asked whether anyone in their household had flu symptoms in the last 14 days, and finally be subjected to an infrared temperature screening. The theater will turn away anyone with a temperature of more than 100.4 degrees.
Whether that will address people who have COVID-19 but aren’t showing symptoms remains to be seen.
As for what will be playing in EVO Entertainment’s theaters, the plan for now is to go with movies that local audiences have enjoyed in the past — two of the titles mentioned in the article are American Sniper and The Goonies.
Other theaters in Texas and Oklahoma are also working on re-opening — including Tulsa’s Circle Cinema, which is currently adding a number of plexiglas screens. Whether these measures will get people back to the movies is unknown as of yet — but in the coming weeks, we’ll have plenty of evidence to ponder.
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