Grab some tickets and silence all cellphones, because movies are back: Showcase Cinemas is reopening nine of its Massachusetts theaters Friday with coronavirus-prevention safety measures in place.
“It feels amazing to welcome people back to the movies,” said Mark Malinowski, vice president of global marketing for the entertainment chain, which closed theaters back in March at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Theaters will open in Dedham, Revere, Randolph, North Attleboro, Foxboro, Blackstone Valley, Lowell and Woburn for screenings of new releases like the Russell Crowe thriller “Unhinged” and horror flick “The New Mutants.” Classic blockbusters like “Jurassic Park” and a special 10-year anniversary celebration of “Inception” are also available.
But the crown jewel of the reopening rollout is Christopher Nolan spy flick, “Tenet,” which comes out next week. Pre-order ticket sales look promising, Malinowski said.
“We’re seeing people buy tickets in advance, and that early desire to go back to the movies,” he told the Herald.
But like nearly everything else in the new world, going back to the movies will be different.
Moviegoers will need to wear a mask at all times, even when seated.
And don’t expect to buy a tub of popcorn for the flick: theaters across the Commonwealth can’t serve any food or beverages on premises, at least for the time being. It’s one of many safety protocols Showcase Cinemas is following to keep their customers safe.
“We’ve really re-envisioned the movie going experience through every touchpoint,” Malinowski said.
It’s not unusual for moviegoers to prebook tickets online, but now, when they book through Showcase Cinemas, an algorithm will automatically block off all the seats around their party to social distance the crowd.
Only 25 patrons are allowed in a theater at a time, and there will be longer breaks between screenings to allow staff to deep clean and disinfect theaters between movies.
Like most other businesses, cinema lobbies will be socially distanced with one-way markers on the floors and hand sanitizer readily available to guests. Employees will need to have their temperature checked before beginning a shift, and like customers, they’ll all wear protective masks while inside the theaters.
Showcase Cinemas has even outfitted the auditoriums with “bi-polar ionization air-purifying systems,” which Malinowski said use ions to kill the virus in the air.
“I think people are ready to get off the sofa and back into theaters. I think they want to know there are safety protocols in place,” he said.
AMC Theaters has also begun reopening, with more than 100 locations nationwide opening last week.
