AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas both announced yesterday that all theaters would be shutting down beginning March 17 in accordance with local, state, and federal guidelines. AMC will be shut down for 6 to 12 weeks and Regal Cinemas will remain closed until further notice. Today, Cinemark Theatres issued a statement about its decision to also close all US theaters beginning on Wednesday, March 18, until it is deemed safe to again open auditoriums to the public.
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On its website and in a newsletter emailed to customers, the company assured moviegoers that all tickets purchased in advance would be refunded. Online purchases will be reimbursed automatically within five to seven business days, and customers who purchased their movie tickets at a Cinemark kiosk can fill out a refund request online. In addition to these steps, Cinemark will be extending the expiration date of all Cinemark Movie Rewards points to June 30, 2020, and pausing all Movie Club memberships while theaters are closed.
The announcement went on to state that Cinemark would continue to support its employees during this time, though it’s unclear what steps the company will take to ensure the financial stability of workers who now find themselves at least temporarily without employment.
With the closure of multiple movie theater chains, the cancellation of the NBA season, and the postponement of various film and game development projects like The Outer Worlds Nintendo Switch port, gamers will still have plenty of new game releases to keep them occupied. The rogue-lite Exit the Gungeon launched unexpectedly today for Switch and Doom Eternal comes out for multiple platforms on March 20, which players will be able to download digitally and enjoy from the comfort and safety of home.
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