The Cineworld Group will reopen its U.S. Regal Cinemas April 2 with a limited release for “Godzilla vs. Kong,” and a wider release planned for “Mortal Kombat” from April 16.
The U.K., the group’s second biggest market, will reopen in May, according to government guidance. Indoor cinemas in the U.K. are due to reopen May 17 and drive-ins earlier, from April 12.
“We have long-awaited this moment when we can welcome audiences back to our Regal theaters and restore our essential role within the communities we serve,” said Cineworld CEO Mooky Greidinger. “With the health and safety of our customers, staff, and communities as our top priority, we continue to take all the necessary precautions and abide by our CinemaSafe guidelines to confidently provide a safe and comfortable experience. With capacity restrictions expanding to 50% or more across most U.S. states, we will be able to operate profitably in our biggest markets. We will also be monitoring developments closely in the U.K. and across Europe as we set to gradually reopen across the world in line with local government guidance.”
Cineworld has also signed a multi-year agreement under which films from Warner Bros. Pictures Group will be exhibited in Cineworld’s cinemas in the U.S. as of their opening. Beginning in 2022, Warner Bros. Pictures Group theatrical releases will have a 45-day window of theatrical exclusivity, with certain provisions.
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For the U.K., Warner Bros. and Cineworld have agreed an exclusive theatrical window of 31 days prior to PVOD, and an extended window of 45 days for films that open to an agreed on box-office threshold.
“We are very happy for the agreement with Warner Bros. This agreement shows the studio’s commitment to the theatrical business and we see this agreement as an important milestone in our 100-year relationship with Warner Bros.,” Greidinger said.
“This is a great moment for us – the U.S. market represents 75% of our business – and soon will be followed with all our markets. We are great believers in the theatrical experience, which only a year ago [2019] generated $43 billion worldwide,” Greidinger added.
