Are you happy to return to the cinema?
Cinemas will have reduced capacity, and strict social distancing rules will be in place
Come Monday 17th May, cinemas are set to reopen under the third step of the lockdown roadmap. This is also when the Rule of Six will return indoors, meaning you will be able to watch a film with up to five other people.
This move cannot come soon enough for film buffs as the future of the big screen experience has been thrown into question with the rise of streaming services and a year away from cinema releases because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Warner Bros has announced its entire slate of 2021 films, including anticipated blockbuster Dune, will arrive on the HBO Max streaming service at the same time as in cinemas in the US.
Disney will also launch a number of films on its streaming service Disney+ on the same day as cinema releases, including Marvel film Black Widow, villain origin story Cruella and Dwayne Johnson’s new movie Jungle Cruise.
However, Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007, No Time To Die, has been frequently delayed during the pandemic so it can get a theatrical release and Craig has said films will be “diminished” if they stop being shown in cinemas.
The James Bond star paid tribute to his favourite moments spent watching films on the big screen, including: “Clutching the armrest, transfixed in Blade Runner, the tension unbearable… Blushing at Betty Blue. Getting dizzy at Avatar,” in an essay for Empire magazine.
Also on his list of special cinema moments were: “All of Alan Parker. Gladiator. Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot. Festen. Mike Leigh/Haneke. Every arthouse movie and every arthouse cinema.” He also praised a 1999 film staring his wife Rachel Weisz: “The Mummy is one of my favourites.”
Craig continued: “Every one of these memories and experiences was shared with complete strangers; the lights go down, the projectors flicker, a hush descends or a cheer goes up.
“Collective experiences shape our lives and although I am clearly biased, movies bring us together.
Cinemas in the UK will reopen from May 17 and No Time To Die is due to be released in UK cinemas from September 30.
Are you eagerly awaiting the return of the cinema? Would you be happy sharing an indoor space with strangers for the duration of a film with social distancing rules in place? Or are you content with watching blockbuster movies on a small screen at home?
