Movie theaters have been around for more than 100 years. Almost everyone has watched a newly released film in the comfort of the theater walls with the atmosphere filled with buttery popcorn and pricey candy at some point in their life.
Once Covid hit, the theater industry quickly halted to a stop. Movie theater chain, Regal Cinemas had shut down previously due to quarantine and are currently in the process of shutting down all 549 nationwide theaters once more, maybe permanently this time.
Moleena Hach, sr., is currently employed at one of their theaters and has been working there just under a year.
“[I feel] a bit sad considering I didn’t prepare myself like other employees and get myself a second job.”
CBS News states that shares in the company that own the Regal, Cineworld, and Picturehouse movie theaters fell by 58% once it was released that they will be closing. About 45,000 employees are going to be affected.
Hach was under their employment during their first hiatus. She stated that the second shutdown didn’t phase her, but noticed there was a huge difference in hours she worked.
“When we opened up [again], hours were cut and less people were coming in so it wasn’t as time consuming as it used to be, evening shifts used to be five [pm] to twelve [am], sometimes one [am] or longer but now it’s five [pm] to eight [pm], huge difference.”
Other theaters are struggling as well. AMC theaters are now allowing moviegoers to rent out the whole theater for just $99. They are allowing rentals of up to twenty people. This is one of the many efforts theater chains are making to stay afloat this year during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Theaters are an experience like no other. It is a common activity families enjoy doing to have an evening away from home. Others even go there to have a relaxing night with their significant other. Friends use it as an opportunity to hang out and have fun with each other.
With the pandemic, it is difficult to predict how the movie theater era will play out. Hach has expressed that she will miss her movie theater family as well.
“I’ll miss my coworkers, it was a big family, everyone knew everyone without judgment."
It is hard to say how long Regal and other theater chains will be taking time off as the pandemic progresses. But for now, we will have to wait and see what the future of movies going beyond the comforts of our own homes looks like.