Movie Theater Shut Down Jams Up Release Dates!

Even under the best circumstances, Hollywood studios and exhibitors were concerned about how the 2020 box office would stack up this year and now ALL movies are on hold.

Universal Pictures has come up with a solution to release films On Demand for $19.99, but that is for only 48hrs.

However when it comes to the major blockbusters that were lined up for Spring Break, Memorial Day weekend, June and July are all in a flux. Read on for more about the Movie Theater Shut Down…

CelebNMusic247.com reports that movie theaters across the country have begun dimming their marquee lights for an indefinite period of time to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

And with the instilled fear of catching the Coronavirus until there is a cure and a vaccine the movie industry is left with a confusing picture of when — and at what scale — Americans will return to multiplexes again.

As of now, Disney’s “Black Widow,” “Mulan” and “The New Mutants,” as well as Universal’s “Fast & Furious” installment “F9,” Paramount’s “A Quiet Place” sequel and MGM’s James Bond adventure “No Time to Die” have been postponed.

More movies could be impacted if theaters are closed longer than expected.

When Will Movies Return To Theaters:

Once the world emerges from this unprecedented crisis and theaters slowly reopen, studios will have to strategically navigate a calendar minefield for when movies release in theaters again.

Jeff Bock, a media analyst with Exhibitor Relations, said:

Setting release dates and moving movies around is a very difficult task. There’s a think tank for each one to capitalize on the right time.

Only two movies that vacated their release dates — “No Time to Die” (shifting from its original April 3 debut to Nov. 25) and “F9” (moving from May 22 to April 2, 2021 in the slot once occupied by the franchise’s 10th installment).

Next, it’ll be a puzzle that requires cautious and strategic planning.

For now, wondering when theaters will be back in business remains a question without an answer. AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas and Cinemark, the nation’s three biggest circuits, shuttered nationwide. AMC estimates its venues will be closed for six to 12 weeks, though other chains didn’t offer up a time frame. Best case, theaters will reopen in mid-May. Worst case, they remain closed through May and into summer.

Paul Dergarabedian, a senior analyst at Comscore said:

Studios spend a lot of time picking release dates for their films. That’s why you see big blockbuster tentpoles planting a flag on a date two years in advance.

Movie Release Dates for 2020:

There are 52 weeks in a year, as executives responsible for playing this unique game of chess will have to turn things up by prioritizing which movies need to release first and which needs to be pushed back. Especially franchise films that have years lined up with follow up films. It throws off everything.

Disney’s chokehold over the marketplace means the Magic Kingdom has most of the power when it comes to setting the cultural agenda. Adding to anxieties for other companies to make sure they don’t end up cannibalizing other films they’re planning to release.

Which brings up to Disney who has its own dilemmas. The studio’s schedule is cleared through Memorial Day, and it has three major movies — “Mulan,” “Black Widow” and “The New Mutants” — without release dates. By dropping one of those films in summer, it could take audiences away from Pixar’s “Soul” (June 19) or “Jungle Cruise” with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt (July 24), two other films in which Disney has invested heavily.

Around the holidays, Disney has to avoid competing with Marvel’s “The Eternals” (Nov. 6) and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” (Dec. 18), another pair of high-profile, upcoming releases. That’s to say nothing of having to weave around other big titles like Warner Bros. musical adaptation of “In the Heights” (June 26), “No Time to Die” (Nov. 25), Sony’s “Venom 2” (Oct. 2) and Paramount’s “Top Gun Maverick” (June 24).