Regal Cinemas has announced that they will reopen US theaters on April 2 with the release of Warner Bros. ‘ Godzilla teen Kong, Deadline reported. This will be followed on April 16 with New Line’s Mortal Kombat. Cineworld’s parent, Cineworld, also has an agreement with Warner Bros. entered to show its 2021 versions at the same time that it was released on HBO Max. From 2022, Cineworld will have a 45-day exclusivity window before titles are released on streaming services.
Warner Bros. has already announced that they would release new films simultaneously on HBO Max and at theater chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which eliminates the exclusive window that cinemas usually enjoy. This led to AMC, the leading American theater chain, lamenting the studio, although Regal at the time gave a more measured statement. Warner Bros. later clarified that he will first announce his 2023 film series in theaters, but so far has said nothing about films planned for 2022.
In Cineworld’s second largest market, the United Kingdom, Warner Bros. agreed to an exclusive 31-day theater window as soon as cinemas open in May. This would extend to 45 days for films that have reached the agreed revenue for box office openings.
“We are very pleased with the agreement with Warner Bros. This agreement demonstrates the studio’s commitment to the theater business and we see this agreement as a major milestone in our 100-year relationship with Warner Bros.,” said Mooky Greidinger, executive director. head of Cineworld, said Variety in a statement.
With the coronavirus pandemic, Cineworld closed 536 Regal theaters in the US and 127 Cineworld and Picturehouse salons in the UK. It temporarily opened some theaters late last year, but closed quickly as the number of infections increased. Now, with vaccination levels at around 25 per cent in the US and over 50 per cent in the UK, cinemas are hopeful that reopening can take place soon and will be permanent.