The National Association of Theater Owners says New York City movie theaters need to reach 75% capacity by July to stay open. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced exhibitors into a rough position as studios vacated the 2020 release schedule and theaters remained closed for the majority of the summer. These circumstances led to one of the worst years in box office history, with the 2020 box office down $30 billion from the previous year.
Studios hoping to save the box office faced nearly insurmountable obstacles once theaters reopened. Screens had reduced capacities and strict safety precautions in place. That, coupled with many moviegoers' unwillingness to risk their safety for the latest blockbuster led to some disappointing returns for films like Christopher Nolan's Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984. With studios continuing to delay a slew of films, it's unclear when the box office could pick back up, but NATO says it needs to happen sooner rather than later.
Deadline reports that the NYC branch of NATO says they need to reopen to 75% capacity by July 4 or risk closures. Currently, NYC theaters are allowed to operate at 25% capacity, but NATO hopes that Governor Andrew Cuomo will raise that bar to at least 50% in the coming weeks to accommodate high-profile releases like the upcoming Mortal Kombat and A Quiet Place Part II. The association hopes that by the time Top Gun: Maverick and Black Widow hit theaters in July, they'll be able to bring in even more people.
NYC and Los Angeles are the two largest theatrical markets in the US and both cities were hit especially hard during the pandemic and continue to navigate the situation. Despite the rollout of vaccines across the country, rushing headfirst into reopening could prove disastrous for the public health. Still, a glimmer of hope was revealed this weekend with the release of Godzilla vs Kong and the solidification of Marvel's 2021 line-up for the rest of the year.
Godzilla vs Kong broke pandemic box office records with its opening week in the US, proving, at the very least, that moviegoers will return to theaters for the right film. This is in spite of the fact that the film was available to stream to subscribers for free on HBO Max. With studios becoming more confident that they can once again make money at the box office, it's in local governments' hands to determine how much theaters can reopen. It will be a balancing act, as public safety must be a high priority, but if vaccines continue to roll out as they have been in the last few weeks, it's not out of the realm of possibility that theaters could see increased capacity come this summer.
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