Movie theaters in Texas will require health checks at the door upon reopening. Ever since most movie theaters across the United States closed their doors in mid-March, people have been wondering when they will get to reopen. Most people have been self-quarantining at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has effectively shut down all non-essential businesses and locations. Major movie theater chains like Regal Cinemas and AMC Theatres made the decision to close their doors for the time being, and though many hoped to reopen within a few weeks, that has since changed. Now, there's a hope that theaters will get to reopen by July.
However, some theaters have begun to reopen already in select states. As Georgia took steps to reopen the state, movie theaters were included in the businesses allowed to get back to work. On the other hand, there are states that absolutely refuse to allow theaters to open. California is among them, with Governor Gavin Newsom suggesting it could take months before it happens. Even in Texas, some places are not prepared to open, as is the case for the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. The handful of theaters that have decided to reopen have adapted some serious safety measures.
Per Variety, theaters reopening over the next few days in Austin and San Antonio will be implementing health checks right at the door. Texas Governor Greg Abbott allowed theaters to reopen on Friday at 25% capacity, and the theaters that have chosen to do so seem to be taking things seriously. In the case of EVO Entertainment, CEO Mitchell Roberts says two theaters will open on Monday with "airport security-style check-in." When guests enter through the front doors, they will be asked if anyone in their household displayed flu symptoms within the past 14 days and will receive an infrared temperature screening. Anyone with a temperature over 100.4 degrees will be turned away. Additionally, customers will be required to wear masks.
Santikos Entertainment also opened three locations yesterday, and though they have implemented safety measures like spaced-out seating, no cash transactions, and gloves and masks for the staff, customers are not required to wear masks. Both chains intend to show older classics like The Goonies, as well as some other recent releases like Trolls World Tour and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Since most major films until July have been delayed, the few theaters that opt to reopen now will have no choice but to show older films. That's one of the challenges faced by theaters, and potentially a major reason why some are choosing to stay closed. AMC has already said they won't reopen until new releases are made available. Between that and the safety precautions, movie theaters have a lot of obstacles to cross over before things can return to normal.
Source: Variety