Marble Pedestal: Movie theatres in COVID-19

Picture this — you’ve just sat down in the movie theatre with a bag full of buttery popcorn as you put on your 3D glasses and wait for the start of the movie you’ve been dying to see.

Unfortunately, most of us have not felt this anticipation since March when everything closed down. However, as many theatres reopen with new physical distancing measures in place, they are proving to be the new pandemic hot spot.

Many people worry about returning to public activities due to concerns of the COVID-19 virus spreading. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the American National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), recently predicted people will have to wear masks in theatres until the end of 2021. Because of mandatory masks and other physical distancing measures such as purchasing tickets online, it is now easier than ever to go to the movies and limit contact. Theatres are now required to keep two metres of space between patrons of different cohorts to limit contact with others during the movie.

Many people often viewed pre-pandemic movie theatres as overpriced, especially when streaming services offer more movies for less money. However, now that it is getting colder and spending time outside is less of an option, movie theatres are the perfect way to socialize while staying safe. Many now offer deals to attract moviegoers, which provides an excellent reason to head out of the house for a few hours.

With a lack of new movies to premier, theatres are now showing classics. This gives younger generations a chance to watch older movies on the big screen for the first time. Star Wars is one of the top grossing movies of all time and yet most of Gen Z has not seen any of the original trilogy on the big screen.  This is an amazing opportunity to finally do so. 

A great way to relieve some of the stress of everyday life is by escaping to a movie theatre for a couple of hours. Let’s face it, we are all tired of constantly hearing about COVID-19 and it is clear that the virus is not going away anytime soon. The best way to deal with the negativity of COVID-19 is to escape to the theatre and immerse yourself in your favourite movies.