It’s noteworthy that movie theaters are opening in some places around some US states and around the world. (Like in New Zealand.) We at RunPee are excited to see people getting back to the cinema, but that happiness is tempered by worry. No one wants movie theaters to become the new pandemic hot zones. Remember that terrifying scene in Outbreak, showing the movement of sneeze particles infecting everyone in a theater? What theater wants that image associated with them?
The big chains like AMC have enough problems on their plate.
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At this time, drive-in theaters are getting a resurgence, which makes total sense with social distancing directives. The NY Times reported recently on their front CoVid-19 page that drive-in movie theaters in NY are now low-risk activities. Actual walk-in cinemas in places like Tennessee are open for business again. The plan is to space out the seats, have less people in each screening room, and completely sanitize everything between showings.
But what movies are movie goers watching, with Hollywood shut down?
Simply, theaters are running old movies. And by old, I mean anything from recently released features like Bloodshot and Onward, to cult classics, local productions, and film shorts, according to the New Zealand Herald. Some cinemas are hosting movie marathons. According to a drive-theater owner, people are just happy to be in the theaters again.
But there’s also some hope on the horizon for new flicks: specifically two optimistic releases scheduled for July 2020 — Tenet (by Christopher Nolan) and Mulan (by Disney). Expect Hollywood to watch this development closely.
In addition, there’s still the August 14th Wonder Woman 1984 premier. RunPee’s poll on the the matter gives a 35% majority of people going opening night, “no matter what.” 23% also plan to attend opening night, but only if theaters are 1/2 empty.
#WonderWoman1984 is rescheduled to premier on August 14th. If theaters are indeed open will you go see it…
A) Opening night. No matter what!
B) Opening night, if theaters are 1/2 filled.
C) Late Sept., when theaters are mostly empty.
D) I’ll Wait for the DVD. 🙁#COVID19
— RunPee (movie app/film hub) (@RunPee) April 14, 2020
Every other movie on the 2020 roster has been rescheduled for Fall 2020 and mostly, much, much later. No Time to Die (what an unfortunate name!) still has a November premiere. The MCU’s Black Widow now shows an October 29 release, but most of the films for Marvel’s Phase 4 will (at best) hit screens in 2021, 22, and 23.
All of these dates are subject to change and the whims of CoVid-19. But keep calm and carry on, hoping that movie-going will be back soon.
A Return to Americana – Drive In Movie Theaters Are Back in Style
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Co-Creator of RunPee, Chief of Operations, Content Director, and Managing Editor. RunPee Jilly likes galaxy-spanning sci fi, superhero sagas, fantasy films, YA dystopians, action thrillers, chick flicks, and zany comedies, in that order…and possesses an inspiringly small bladder. In fact, that little bladder sparked the creation of RunPee. (Good thing she’s learned to hold it.)
Rob Williams Administrator
I was originally in the “I’ll be there first chance I get” team but since then things have changed a bit in that I’ve had various letters pointing out that I’m at the highest risk of being felled by the virus and not to leave the house until, as of the present, the end of June.
So now that I’m being a bit more sensible about things then I really don’t know when I’ll next be out and about!
Jill Florio Administrator
Rob! We don’t want to lose you. Stay healthy. Jeez. 😉
What delayed or upcoming movies are you MOST excited about? It’s okay if your list is long. (I know you now…hehehe.)
Rob Williams Administrator
Aww Jill… how sweet! it’s always nice to know someone’s thinking of you and what a charming way of saying that I talk too much!
Anyway, films I’m looking forward to…
Tenet – Let’s see what Christopher Nolan has in store for us this time!
The New Mutants – I think I’ve proven in previous articles that I haven’t a clue how the MCU phases work or even if this is a part of them but this looks like a grittier, grimier take on the genre.
A Quiet Place II – I like John Krasinski and I like what he did with the first film. From what I’ve seen so far the new one is a mix of before and after so let’s see what he’s putting his Mrs through this time.
The Beatles: Get Back – Back in the sixties you were either a Beatles fan or a Rolling Stones fan… I was a Beatles fan; my kitchen iPod still has plenty of Beatles tracks dotted through it. I will happily watch any documentary about them and let myself be taken back.
The King’s Man – Stanley Tucci? Ralph Fiennes? Take my money now!
Death On The Nile – Kenneth Branagh did a good job with his facial hair as well as the rest of Murder On The Orient Express so he should make a pretty decent fist of this too.
The French Dispatch – I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve watched the trailer for this and I still keep spotting new things. I love Wes Anderson’s films and can’t go for more than a couple of weeks without watching one so it’ll be nice to have another one in the rotation.
Black Widow – Phase 4? Phase 5? Don’t know and don’t really care, I just want to see it!
No Time To Die – In my humble opinion Daniel Craig is the best Bond. His hair’s the wrong colour… so what; I think Idris Elba should be the next Bond! He pulls off the tough, gritty, ruthlessness that Bond has in the books that Timothy Dalton came very close to. It’s his last go at the role and he’s taken the character from 00 induction through to ‘retirement’ and I want to see how he finishes it.
Free Guy – Humour, action, effects, and Ryan Reynolds… what more do you need?
Promising Young Woman – I know the job of the trailer is to sell the movie even if it means obscuring what it’s actually about but this has done the job for me. Whether they’ve adopted the style and feel of Killing Eve because it’s hot or because director Emerald Fennell was showrunner on the show and that’s her style I don’t know. Regardless… bring it on!
Top Gun: Maverick – Who doesn’t fancy a bit of hyper-macho homo-eroticism?
Coming 2 America – The original is still a favourite of mine and it still has an outing on my TV every so often. I wonder if Samuel L Jackson will reprise his role as the thief?
Wonder Woman 1984 – Apart from Shazam! DC haven’t managed to hit the same high notes with their adaptations that Marvel have with theirs. Wonder Woman was an exception so I’m hoping for good things from this. Or maybe it’s just the orchestral version of Blue Monday, which just happens to be my second favourite New Order track (True Faith, if you’re wondering), in the trailer that sells it to me.
And then there’s all the films I was looking forward to seeing with my granddaughter… Tom & Jerry, The Croods 2, The Witches, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, amongst others. I’m developing her as a next generation RunPee contributor; as we were driving home after seeing Dolittle she turned to me with a thoughtful look on her face and said “remind me… was that one of the films I wanted to see?” I think it shouldn’t be too long before she starts hitting the keyboard.