It’s no secret that gathering into large groups is a big faux pas right now, and AMC Theaters is recognizing that sitting in a movie theater full of people falls under this category. Starting today, Tuesday, March 17, AMC Theaters is closing all of its U.S.-based movie theater locations for at least six weeks, with the possibility of extending the closure up to twelve weeks if the situation requires that long of a closure. This is to comply with local, state, and federal directives being made to help stop the spread of COVID-19 (the Coronavirus).
The estimate of six to twelve weeks means movie theaters won’t open up again until at least May and may extend until June if the need arises. During this time, AMC Stubs A-List members will see their accounts automatically paused so that they won’t be losing any benefits that they’ve paid for. That also means that no billing or payments will take place during this time. AMC says that they’ll remain flexible on the reopening date and will continue to reassess the situation regularly.
We are ever so disappointed for our moviegoing guests and for our employee teams that the new CDC guidelines that Americans should not gather in groups larger than 10 people make it impossible to open our theatres. Still, the health and wellbeing of AMC guests and employees, and of all Americans, takes precedence above all else. We will continue to monitor this situation very closely and look forward to the day we can again delight moviegoers nationwide by reopening AMC movie theatres in accordance with guidance from the CDC and local health authorities.
AMC CEO and President Adam Aron
It’s not clear what AMC will be doing for its employees during this time, but they will continue to operate their AMC Movies On Demand service so that viewers can continue to purchase and watch movies from the comfort and safety of their own homes. AMC currently features over 3,500 titles through AMC’s website, the Movies on Demand app, and through several smart TV systems. It’s not clear what movies will be making their way to the on-demand service early, but Universal Pictures has, at least, stated that many of their films will be available on-demand early.
AMC’s theater closures mark the continued slowdown of television show production and sporting events cancellations due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus. On the bright side, there’s a ton of amazing shows and movies to watch on the many streaming services available, which makes this a great time to branch out a bit. Gotta keep that silver lining in view.
