After months of being closed, many American movie theaters will be opening for the first time this week as the world continues the fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. They’re all promoting strenuous cleaning measures and sanitation conditions to make audiences feel safe as they wade back into theaters.
Part of that strategy will also include the rollout of new movies, many which have been delayed for months.
Originally, it was supposed to be the Christopher Nolan mind-bender “Tenet” and Disney’s Mulan that were supposed to lead the charge.
They both flaked.
Warner Brothers decided that European audiences should get the first look at Tenet (story HERE).
And Disney decided to pull Mulan from theaters altogether and release it on Disney Plus for an additional hefty fee to subscribers (story HERE).
Instead, the headlining movie for many theaters this weekend will be “Unhinged” starring Russell Crowe as a road rager. I haven’t seen the film. The trailer looks fine but it’s trending at 53% on Rotten Tomatoes.
That’s hardly the kind of welcome mat you want to layout for customers. But it’s what we got and that’s not the theater’s fault really.
Looking at the calendar, the first movies that may be a successful draws will be “Bill and Ted Face the Music” and “The New Mutants” on the 28th, before Tenet finally arrives on September 3rd.
And then we’ve got some time before “The King’s Man” (the Kingsmen prequel) and Wonder Woman 1984 arrive in October.
Then we’ll really start seeing how the box office is recovering. Who knows what the pandemic will look like then?
But we’ve got to take it one step at a time. Let’s see what the haul will look like.
This might be the toughest challenge Russell Crowe has seen since those lions in “Gladiator”.
—
The FTR depends on help from you! Please consider donating today!
Donations are non tax deductible