At least one theater chain CEO feels that Wonder Woman 1984 should push its release date into 2021.
It has been a week of mixed news for movie theaters. The week began with news that a coronavirus vaccine is close to being ready and may even begin distribution before the end of the year. Meanwhile, cases are continuing to rage across the world, and that has forced some European countries back into various forms of lockdown.
As the week progressed, it was rumored that Cineworld – the owners of Regal Cinemas – was going to temporarily close all of its locations again. Not long after that news, California announced it was pushing 11 counties back into the highest level of restrictions which would mandate all indoor theaters, not just Regal Cinemas, shut back down.
In the midst of all of this news, Variety spoke with various industry leaders about the hope the vaccine was giving them about the future. Mooky Greidinger, CEO of Cineworld, while hopeful in the long term, was a bit more pessimistic about the short term. “If you ask me if it’s kosher to open [Wonder Woman 1984] in December, my answer is no,” said Greidinger. “If it goes in February [instead], I believe it could be a huge movie. We don’t want to open it and be disappointed. [By waiting,] the picture around vaccination will be clearer.”
Greidinger’s pessimism is notable as it was the Regal Cinema location at the Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine, California that brought in the most money domestically for Tenet. Despite Orange County, where the theater is located, not currently being under the harshest restrictions, the location is shutting down for an unknown amount of time.
Currently, Wonder Woman 1984 is the last of the major releases on the schedule for 2020. There has been no word from Warner Bros. as of yet if it plans to move the film.
Wonder Woman 1984 is currently scheduled to hit theaters on Dec. 25.
SOURCE: Variety
