CineLife Entertainment Brings The Rolling Stones: Havana Moon Concert Experience To Drive-in Movie Theatres This Summer

PRESS RELEASE — NEW YORK, June 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — CineLife Entertainment®, a division of Spotlight Cinema Networks, today announced the drive-in theatre rollout of The Rolling Stones: Havana Moon, a concert filmed in Havana, Cuba in 2016. The company will partner with UK content provider Eagle Rock to bring this film to drive-in theatres across the U.S. and Canada for an exclusive summer concert experience beginning July 10, 2020, observing specific state reopening guidelines. The Rolling Stones: Havana Moon documents The Rolling Stones’ free March 2016 concert at Ciudad Deportiva de la Habana sports complex, which had an estimated 500,000-person audience. This marked a landmark event for rock n’ roll in Cuba, as the genre was banned for decades following the Cuban revolution. As restrictions relaxed...

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UNIC Launches Fourth Edition of Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme

UNIC has toady announced the fourth edition of their Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme, designed to foster the careers of up-and-coming female cinema professionals by pairing them with experienced mentors in the industry. Mentees will receive career advice and one-on-one mentorship opportunities over a period of 12 months.  Something of a milestone has been reached this year for the Programme, as one of its former mentees—Grainne Peat of the U.K.’s Event Cinema Association—has now adopted the role of mentor. Mentors for the 2020/2021 edition of UNIC’s Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme are: Nathalie Cieutat (Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont, France) Anne Fitzgerald (Cineplex, Canada) Norma Garcia-Muro (THX, USA) Kate Gerova (Curzon, UK) Jadranka Islamovic (Blitz-CineStar, Croatia) Grainne Peat (Event Cinema Association, UK) Kaisa Rakemaa (Finnkino, Finland) Géke Roelink...

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Regal/Cineworld, Cinemark Delay Reopening Timelines to Late July

Both U.K.-based Cineworld—along with their U.S. subsidiary, Regal—and Cinemark have announced a delay in their planned reopenings to late July, reflective of shifting film releases. Cineworld has announced that their theaters will begin reopening on Friday, July 31. This is a delay of three weeks from the July 10 date that was to see the opening of most of their locations in the U.S. and England. Cinemas are legally allowed to open in England as of this Saturday, July 4. When Cineworld and Regal reopen, they will screen new films in addition to repertory titles at a discounted price. Said Cineworld CEO Mooky Greidinger in a statement: “We know audiences are ready to return to the movies and have been anticipating the strong slate of summer films ahead, including Tenet, Mulan, A Quiet Place Part II, Unhinged, The Broken Hearts Gallery, Bill & Ted Face the Music, Greenland,...

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AMC Theatres Delays Opening by Two Weeks to Thursday, July 30

In response to a recent shift in film release dates, AMC Theatres has altered the timing of their own reopening plan. The bulk of AMC’s U.S. theaters are now slated to open on Thursday, July 30. Initially, AMC planned to open 450 of its theaters on Wednesday, July 15, shortly before the July 17 release of Warner Bros.’ Tenet. A second wave of theaters—numbering approximately 150—would open prior to the release of Disney’s Mulan, then scheduled for July 24. Within the last week, Tenet and Mulan were moved to August 12 and August 21, respectively. AMC now says that they plan to bring their U.S. theaters “essentially to full operation by early August.” Other films coming to AMC theaters in the weeks after their reopening are Solstice’s Unhinged (July 31); Warner Bros.’ 10th anniversary re-release of Inception (July 31); Sony’s The Broken Hearts Gallery (August 7); A24’s...

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Kinepolis Unveils Updated Reopening Plans for Cinemas in Europe and North America

With cinemas across the world beginning to open for business once again, Belgium-based exhibitor Kinepolis has released updated reopening plans for its 111 theaters in Europe and North America. “We wish to emphasise that the health of our moviegoers and staff remains our absolute priority and that we rely on the expert advice of the competent authorities in each country regarding the duration of the closure, as well as the modalities for reopening,” said the exhibitor in a press release. “In all countries, Kinepolis applies a strict safety protocol for visitors and staff, whereby respecting appropriate distances, managing visitor flows and adhering to strict hygiene rules are of utmost importance.” In Europe, many of Kinepolis’s locations have already opened their doors, albeit with enhanced safety measures in place. On June 1, all 18 Kinepolis locations in the Netherlands...

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Disney Moves Mulan to August 21

The Walt Disney Studios is moving the theatrical release date of Mulan by four weeks, dating its latest live action remake to August 21 from its previously scheduled slot on July 24. Mulan was originally scheduled to hit U.S. theaters on March 27 before the Covid-19 pandemic pushed the title further down the schedule. The move comes a day after Warner Bros. announced it would be rescheduling Christopher Nolan’s Tenet to August 12. Both these date changes follow the highest single-day of positive Covid-19 test results to date in the United States, with over 37 thousand newly confirmed cases on Thursday according to John Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center. “While the pandemic has changed our release plans for ‘Mulan’ and we will continue to be flexible as conditions require, it has not changed our belief in the power of this film and its message of hope and...

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Box Office Top 10: Live-Action Musicals of the 2000s

June would have—in a different world—seen the theatrical release of director Jon M. Chu’s In the Heights, based on the Tony-winning Broadway musical from future Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. But we live in the times of Covid-19, when In the Heights has been pushed to next summer and a filmed version of Hamilton, originally bound for theaters, instead found its way to Disney+. With big screens currently devoid of any toe-tappers, Boxoffice Pro takes the time to look back at the highest-grossing movie musicals of the 20th century. Some notes of order: Only live-action musicals were considered for this list. The ranking has been tabulated based on worldwide cumes. And biopics of musical figures, whether real or fictional—namely, Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star is Born—have been omitted. #1 and #2 – Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Aladdin (2019) Worldwide: $1.26 billion...

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Gold Medal Introduces New Safety Products for Theater Reopenings

With hard top theaters around the country starting to reopen, Gold Medal has introduced several new additions to its lineup of safety products: – Polycarbonate Portable Barriers These lightweight, rolling barriers, made of clear polycarbonate, can be used to provide a shield between customers and employees. Gold Medal has introduced two versions: one standard and another with a built-in shelf, described as “ideal for ticket takers or other interactive applications.” The company notes that a “countertop barrier stand” will be available soon. – Hand sanitizer Gold Medal is also offering FDA-approved liquid hand sanitizer, made with 80% ethyl alcohol, glycerin and hydrogen peroxide. The sanitizer can be purchased in 1.89 ounce, 4 ounce, 8 ounce, 16 ounce, quart and gallon sizes. Sanitizing stations are also available for purchase. More information on the company’s safety...

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Warner Bros. Pushes Tenet to Wednesday, August 12

Nearly two weeks after pushing Christopher Nolan’s Tenet back from its initial release date of July 17 to July 31, Warner Bros. has shifted the film back again—this time by a week and a half to Wednesday, August 12. A 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan’s Inception, slated for July 17th after Tenet moved away from that date, has now been pushed to July 31. Said a Warner Bros. representative in a statement: “Warner Bros. is committed to bringing Tenet to audiences in theaters, on the big screen, when exhibitors are ready and public health officials say it’s time. In this moment what we need to be is flexible, and we are not treating this as a traditional movie release. We are choosing to open the movie mid-week to allow audiences to discover the film in their own time, and we plan to play longer, over an extended play period far beyond the norm,...

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UK Cinema Association Publishes Report on Staff and Customer Safety Guidelines

The UK Cinema Association (UKCA) released two reports Thursday detailing procedures, guidelines, and recommendations for reopening. The first documents deals with indoor cinemas, while the second handles drive-in and outdoor cinemas. Each report contains eight sections, titled: Thinking about risk Who should go to work Social distancing at work Keeping your customers, visitors, and contractors safe Cleaning the workplace Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and face coverings Workforce management Inbound and outbound goods Among the recommendations include: Assisting the country’s public health care system, the National Health Service (NHS). “The opening up of the economy following the COVID-19 outbreak is being supported by NHS Test and Trace. You should assist this service by keeping a temporary record of your staff shift patterns, customers and visitors for 21 days,...

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HQ Trivia Starts Movie-Themed Trivia Night Wednesdays, Sponsored by National CineMedia (NCM)

With players competing for a total pot of $5,000, the live mobile game show HQ Trivia launched a weekly movie-themed trivia night on Wednesday, June 24. Occurring live at 9 P.M. Eastern time every Wednesday, 90,128 players entered last night’s inaugural live game, sponsored by cinema advertising network National CineMedia (NCM) and hosted by former HQ Words host Anna Roisman making her long-awaited return. Here’s how it works. Twelve multiple-choice questions about movies are given, with three options listed. Players have 10 seconds to tap the box that contains their answer on their phone or mobile device. One question wrong and you’re out, though you can still keep watching the game. Every player answering all 12 questions correctly wins their evenly-divided share of $5,000. Last night’s final question was: “In the original Escape Room, a character’s supposed name anagrams...

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Ireland’s Omniplex Cinemas Announces Phased Reopening on July 3

Omniplex Cinemas – the largest theater chain in Ireland — has kicked off a phased reopening of its theater network. On Thursday (June 25), the exhibitor announced it would reopen seven of its theaters –Cork, Rathmines, Limerick, Galway, Wexford, Arklow and the brand-new D’LUXX cinema in Drogheda that was originally slated to open in late March – on Friday, July 3, with a host of new safety measures in place. These measures include mandatory online ticket buying; “in-cinema seat separation” that will provide 2 meters (or roughly 6.5 feet) of space between guests; a maximum of 50 guests at any time in either the foyer or one of the auditoriums,...

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Studio Movie Grill Announces Phase 3 of Reopening

Texas-based drive-in chain Studio Movie Grill has announced Phase 3 of their reopening plan. The company, as previously announced, moves into Phase 2 tomorrow with the reopening of eight theaters across Texas, California, Georgia, and Florida. Phase 1, initiated on June 19, saw the reopening of three SMG locations in Texas. In Phase 3, SMG will open three additional Texas locations (Arlington Lincoln Square, Dallas Spring Valley and Plano); two in Georgia (Alpharetta Holcomb Bridge and Duluth); Simi Valley in California; College Park in Indiana; and Tampa in Florida. “We are thrilled to have begun safely welcoming guests back to movies on the big screen at SMG Theaters,” said founder/CEO Brian Schultz. “If this past weekend in Texas is any indication, we are incredibly encouraged by attendance and guests indicating their strong desire to return to the theater. This is...

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CES+ Unveils Temperature-Screening Device for Theaters

With shelter-in-place mandates beginning to ease in many parts of the world and more and more hard top theaters reopening their doors, exhibitors are now looking for ways to keep their customers and employees safe. In response to that need, CES+ has released a new tool to screen people for signs of the coronavirus. On Thursday (June 25), the cinema solutions company announced the launch of the Heatzen Thermal Camera and Monitoring Solution, a temperature-screening device with a web-based integrated alerting system that can instantly send a message to theater staff when a patron registers an elevated temperature. Though targeted for theaters, the device – whose settings can be switched between Celsius and Fahrenheit – is also being marketed for use in schools, hotels, restaurants, gyms and other public facilities where risk of transmission is high. “The Heatzen Thermal...

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Lollipop Theater Network Won’t Let Covid-19 Slow It Down

Since 2002, it’s been the mission of the Lollipop Theater Network to bring a light to the lives of hospitalized children. Aided by a board of directors packed with film industry executives—including Carolyn Blackwood, COO at Warner Bros.; Chris Aronson, president of theatrical distribution at Paramount; and Jack Kline, former president and CEO of Christie—for nearly two decades Lollipop has brought film screenings and film stars to LA-area hospitals, enabling children with life-threatening illnesses to experience the magic of the movies. In March, everything changed. Hospitals closed to outside visitors. Lollipop closed their offices and postponed...

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This Weekend in Box Office History: Apollo 13 Turns 25, Transformers Sequels Invade, Superman Returns, WALL-E Debuts, & More

This week, we officially reach the midpoint of the 2020 calendar with the 26th weekend of the year. It’s a period with notable blockbuster releases in past years as studios have capitalized on the midsummer / pre-Fourth of July corridor with some of their biggest family-friendly and popcorn releases. Prior to COVID-19 delays, the weekend ahead was originally slated to see the return of Tom Cruise in the highly anticipated Top Gun: Maverick as well as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights. The former of those is now scheduled for a December 23 release later this year, while the latter has been shuffled to June 18, 2021. The Age of Transformers Nearly one-third of the top ten openings on this frame are quickly summarized by naming one franchise. Following the 2007 breakout of Michael Bay’s Transformers adaptation, the director rolled out another four sequels between 2009...

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How Major Theater Chains Are Using Drive-Ins as a Transitional Step to Reopening

On May 30, Showcase Cinemas opened a “pop-up” drive-in theater at their Patriot Place location in Foxborough, Massachusetts with a screening of Steven Spielberg’s 1981 classic Raiders of the Lost Ark. The sold-out event— which doubled as a fundraiser for the local Foxboro Food Pantry—amounted to a full-circle moment for the exhibitor, which was one of the first chains to embrace the drive-in concept beginning in the late 1930s. “It’s interesting that Showcase is starting out with a drive-in as part of our reopening, because it’s part of our DNA and our history,” says Mark Malinowski, Showcase’s vice president of global marketing. In addition to establishing one of the country’s first drive-ins—the now-defunct Sunrise Drive-In on Long Island, which opened in 1938 with a screening of the Jimmy Durante musical Start Cheering —several of its current hard top locations, including...

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Fandango Launches Comprehensive Theater Reopening Program

This morning, Fandango unveiled its plan to welcome consumers back to movie theaters as the reopening process prepares to hit full stride in the coming weeks. The company’s initial offerings will include a comprehensive directory of items important to patrons such as detailed health and cleaning policies of more than 100 movie chains, seating maps broken down by social distancing requirements, and filter-based searches to help moviegoers locate which theaters near them are currently open, among other features. As one of the world’s leading online movie ticketing sites, Fandango’s initiative here is a significant milestone in the broader recovery...

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