the effects of big markets like New York and
Los Angeles remaining closed. While some
analysts stress that films need to play the
“long game” at the box office in this current
environment, studios responded by delaying
most other major films that had been set for
the fall and winter.
Some merely moved back 2020 openings as
late as possible, like “Death on the Nile” (Dec.
18) and “Wonder Woman 1984,” which is now
set for Christmas.
But others abandoned the year entirely,
including Marvel’s “Black Widow,” Spielberg’s
“West Side Story” and Universal’s “Candyman,” all
of which were pushed to 2021 in recent weeks.
Although there are a handful of major films
still set for 2020, like Pixar’s “Soul,” as well as a
consistent calendar of independents and art
house films, the announcement that “No Time
To Die” was being delayed to 2021 came as a
final blow.
Without the big releases, Cineworld said it
can’t give customers “the breadth of strong
commercial films necessary for them to
consider coming back to theaters against the
backdrop of COVID-19.”
“We did everything in our power to support safe
and sustainable reopenings in all of our markets
— including meeting, and often exceeding,
local health and safety guidelines in our theaters
and working constructively with regulators and
industry bodies to restore public confidence in
our industry,” said Greidinger. “We cannot be in
the situation where every week we are getting
another delay and another delay.”