Box office plunges to lowest level in over two decades amid coronavirus

Oprah Winfrey announced on Thursday that she will be donating $10 million to assist Americans during the coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the world, killing more than 49,000 across the globe and forcing many leaders to urge their people to stay inside.

Leonardo DiCaprio has teamed up with Oprah Winfrey to raise $15 million (£12.1 million) to keep poor Americans fed during the coronavirus pandemic.

In today’s film news roundup, box office reporting is going away temporarily, Hollywood Teamsters have job opportunities, comedy “The Incoherents” finds a home and Fathom Events postpones more than a dozen releases.

By Anthony D'Alessandro

LOS ANGELES — Movie studios Walt Disney and Universal Pictures said on Thursday they were suspending the release of box office data because of the closure of movie theaters in multiple countries in a bid to contain the coronavirus.

By Anthony D'Alessandro

By Anthony D'Alessandro

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) — Much of public life in the United States essentially ground to a halt this week. In the entertainment world, theme parks shut down, Broadway went dark, studios pulled major tentpoles from their release calendar, and virtually all Hollywood movies and TV shows halted production as coronavirus continues to rapidly spread across North America.

Moviegoing in the United States slowed dramatically over the weekend amid the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in box office revenue falling to a 20-year low, according to initial Sunday (March 15) estimates. An official tally won't be finalized until Monday, but revenue is expected to come in around $56 million

Much of public life in the United States essentially ground to a halt this week. In the entertainment world, theme parks shut down, Broadway went dark, studios pulled major tentpoles from their release calendar, and virtually all Hollywood movies and TV shows halted production as coronavirus continues to rapidly spread across North America.

It comes after claims that the virus will cost the film industry $20 billion

Overall North American box office revenues are projected to fall 40% from last weekend as the coronavirus pandemic hits hard and health officials urge social distancing.

As the coronavirus pandemic brings moviegoing to a halt in multiple countries, it’s slowing down attendance at North American multiplexes. 

Vin Diesel’s superhero movie “Bloodshot” launched respectably for Sony Pictures, with $1.2 million at 2,631 North American locations during Thursday night previews.

At each of the shows on his current North American tour, K-pop artist Eric Nam shakes hands, hugs and poses for photos with up to 200 fans who have purchased meet-and-greet packages. But as fears of the coronavirus outbreak continue to mount, he’s now implementing a strict “no-touching” rule -- for his own safety, as well as that of his fans.“Obviously, there is a lot of concern,” says his manager and brother, Eddie Nam of EN Management.

It seems that audiences in North America are not staying away from movie theaters amid virus concerns, according to the weekend’s box office numbers. "Onward," from Disney and Pixar, topped the charts as expected.

LOS ANGELES — Disney and Pixar’s Onward debuted this weekend to US$40 million, enough to lead box office charts but still a somewhat disappointing start given the studio’s near-flawless track record when it comes to animated fare. Internationally, the film brought in $28 million for a global tally of $68 million.

It seems that audiences in North America are not staying away from movie theaters amid virus concerns, according to the weekend’s box office numbers. "Onward," from Disney and Pixar, topped the charts as expected.

LOS ANGELES -- North American audiences are not staying away from theaters amid virus concerns, according to the weekend’s box office numbers. Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” topped the charts as expected and the Ben Affleck basketball drama “The Way Back” also opened normally.