Movie theaters can open in Arizona as soon as May 16.
Most, if not all, won’t.
Gyms, restaurants and other businesses have gotten the OK to open, with guidelines in place. The state’s stay-at-home order expires on May 15. With no order in place, that means theaters also have the green light, according to a spokesman for Gov. Doug Ducey.
But Harkins Theatres, the state’s largest theater chain, won’t open Saturday. Nor will Pollack Cinemas, the discount theater in Tempe. FilmBar won’t open; Road House Cinemas is looking at a mid-June opening.
AMC Theatres did not respond to a request for comment, but its website offers no information about reopening.
Drive-in theaters have remained open during the stay-at-home order.
“Although we are not planning to reopen our theaters now, we are anxious for the day that we can safely and responsibly welcome guests back into our theaters to watch movies on the big screen, where they are meant to be seen,” Harkins said in a statement. “As we make plans for our expected summer reopening, the health and well-being of our guests and team members remains our highest priority.”
Why theaters are taking a wait-and-see approach
Kelly Aubey, who owns FilmBar, said, “I want to wait two or three weeks to see how the end of the stay-at-home order affects infection rates. If they don’t spike after a few weeks, we'll consider it.”
The governor closed movie theaters on March 20, as COVID-19 cases began to rise in the state.
It’s not yet clear how theaters will open, when they decide to. A spokesman for Ducey said that the governor’s office has been working with public health officials and theaters to come up with guidelines. As of Wednesday, they had not been released.
It's not just a health issue. It's also a movie issue
In addition to health concerns, there are movie concerns. Studios have pushed back releases of big films, or in limited cases released them directly to streaming platforms instead of showing them in theaters.
The Harkins statement offered a hint at how programming might work.
“For our business to reopen, another necessary criteria is a reliable and continuous slate of great new theatrical films,” the statement says. “Currently, blockbuster films such as Warner Brothers’ ‘Tenet’ and ‘Wonder Woman 1984,’ Disney’s ‘Mulan’ and others are scheduled to release this summer. Harkins expects to open our theaters a couple of weeks in advance of these blockbusters, presenting unique programming of previously released or specialty films.”
“Tenet” is scheduled for a July 17 release. “Mulan” is scheduled for July 24, and “Wonder Woman 1984” for Aug. 14.
Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk.
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