NYC Enters Phase 4 Monday With Fewer Restrictions On Film, TV Production But Still No Movie Theaters

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorUniversal and AMC are looking like saints in the exhibition business right now after taking a kicking in the teeth by rival circuits for their controversial deal last week to crunch the theatrical window to 17 days with an option for PVOD thereafter.Disney’s announcement Tuesday after the market closed that it is bringing to its 60.5 million Disney+ subscribers for a rental of $29.99 (and in theaters in those places of the world that

In-theater advertising firm National CineMedia has swung to a second-quarter loss on sharply lower revenues as major cinema chains face an uncertain reopening amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The company recorded a net loss of $13.8 million, or 18 cents per share, against a year-earlier profit of $8.9 million, or 11 cent per share.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorThe hope for NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell in the studio’s new unprecedented 17-day theatrical window collapse-PVOD deal with AMC Theatres is to make more money in the post theatrical windows which have waned in recent years.“Movies are our lifeblood,” said the NBCUniversal pro-PVOD exec, “Over the last couple of years, it’s become more increasingly difficult to generate the same returns over the first couple of windows.

coronavirus cases surge around the country. Each day that passes, bringing with it news of fresh centers of infection from the Deep South to the West Coast, seems to diminish hopes of a grand, national return to moviegoing.

This year’s San Diego Comic-Con replacement, Comic-Con@Home, was pretty damn disappointing. Sure, fans got to see new trailers and clips and some decent interactions between cast members of some genre projects, but overall, there wasn’t that big exciting, surprise announcement or show-stopping panel.

Following in the wake of similar announcements by AMC Theatres now that more concrete cinema release dates for new films have been decided (mainly “Tenet”), Regal Cinemas, has announced that it will begin to reopen its U.S. locations starting from August 21.

coronavirus continues to recede in China’s capital. Cinemas in parts of the city deemed at low risk of cross-infection began admitting moviegoers under social distancing rules.

NEW YORK -- A long time ago in a pre-COVID universe far, far away, blockbusters opened around the globe simultaneously or nearly so. In 1975, “Jaws” set the blueprint.

reopening kicking off July 15 with the hope of being fully operational by July 24, but pushed back the plan July 30 late last month.The latest delay comes just days after Warner Bros. indefinitely postponed the release of its big-budget spy film, “Tenet,” which had been slated to hit theaters on August 12.

Rebecca Rubin News Editor, Online“Bill & Ted Face the Music” has shifted its release plans, and instead will debut on premium video on demand and in select movie theaters on Sept. 1 as coronavirus cases spike across the country.The announcement comes following the news that Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” has been taken off release calendars, though its still expected to launch in 2020.

Bruce Haring pmc-editorial-managerThe new restrictions come just about a month after Spain ended its first lockdown, which saw the nation’s borders closed.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentLess than a month after re-opening on June 26, Barcelona’s cinema theaters have been forced to close once more as part of a stay-at-home rollback by the Generalitat, the government for the Catalan region.Announced on Friday, July 18, and in place from Saturday, the mandated shutdown is fiercely contested by Barcelona area town halls, adding to a nationwide debate about just how safe it is to go to the cinema.In radical contrast to Barcelona’s

New York City was cleared Friday to take the next step in its reopening next week, allowing movie and TV crews to film, zoos to welcome reduced crowds and professional sports teams to play to empty seats. Visitors are set to return to the island that houses the Statue of Liberty — but not the statue itself.

Anthony D'Alessandro, Nancy Tartaglione In the wake of the China Film Administration announcing yesterday the reopening of cinemas on July 20, there’s been several questions as to what China is determining to be a low or high risk COVID-19 area.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorBREAKING: Those theaters in low risk areas in China “can resume business in an orderly manner” as early as Monday, July 20, the China Film Administration announced in a recent notice.There were rumblings in foreign distribution that China would start reopening on this date, however, sources weren’t so sure whether that meant simply that the Shanghai Film Festival would take place at this time (and thus, movie theaters would reopen).

Dade Hayes Finance EditorA federal judge has ruled that the state of New Jersey can keep movie theaters closed at the same time religious services or other indoor gatherings are allowed to proceed.The closely watched case offered a close-up look at one effort by beleaguered theaters to open their doors again after months of shutdowns due to COVID-19.In a terse ruling (read it HERE), U.S. District Court Judge Brian R.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge in New Jersey on Tuesday denied the theater industry’s request for a temporary restraining order that would force the state to allow theaters to reopen.Judge Brian R. Martinotti also set a schedule for litigating the industry’s request for an injunction on the matter, with a hearing expected on or before Aug.

including Los Angeles — whose infections continued to surge to close down movie theaters and dine-in services at restaurants.

Dave McNary Film ReporterCiting soaring coronavirus rates, Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered all movie theaters and bars to close immediately.The order, announced Monday, also covers wineries, family entertainment, zoos, museums and cardamoms.Newsom had announced on July 1 that there would be a three-week closure of dine-in restaurant service and movie theaters in Los Angeles County and 18 other counties. Nearly all indoor movie theaters in California have been closed since mid-March.