As states take steps toward reopening businesses following the coronavirus pandemic, studios and theaters are creating plans of their own to keep the public and entertainment pros safe and healthy.
TYLER PERRY
Georgia is allowing business to resume and multi-hyphenate Tyler Perry is cautiously resuming production at his 330-acre Atlanta studio complex, TMZ reports. Sources tell TMZ that Perry will have cast and crew check in, get tested and if they’re negative, check in for the duration of the shoot. The former army base has living quarters and homes, and he may erect pre-fab hotels. Plus, there’s a gym, bar and restaurants. If all goes as planned, he will resume shooting six TV shows.
AMC
On Friday, AMC Theatres said it won’t reopen its 630+ locations until there is a new Hollywood product to show, despite several states giving businesses the go-ahead.
“As we plan our reopening, the health and safety of our guests and associates is our absolute highest priority. To be able to open, we also need a line of sight into a regular schedule of new theatrical blockbusters that get people truly excited about returning to their favorite movie theaters. Those blockbusters are scheduled to return this summer, beginning with Warner Brothers‘ Tenet and Disney’s Mulan, with many more major titles scheduled immediately thereafter,” AMC said in Friday's statement.
First up will be Christopher Nolan's Tenet on July 17, followed by Mulan a week later on July 24. Cinemark Theaters CEO Mark Zoradi has also said they won’t open until the summer. More than 150,000 cinema workers have been laid off or furloughed, and all of AMC’s corporate staff, including CEO Adam Aron have been furloughed on a staggering basis, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
NETFLIX
Netflix, meanwhile, released the third season of Explained on Sunday. Devoted to coronavirus, it aims to unpack the causes and effects; it was put together in just a few weeks.
“We thought it was a great opportunity to provide a public service,” says showrunner Claire Gordon. “This was a moment that was incredibly confusing for the whole world and it felt like a thing that our show could do well in trying to make it understandable.”
SPIDERMAN, ETC.
The Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel is being moved to a November 5, 2021 release date from July 16th. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now shifting from that November date to March 25, 2022.
Film and TV production in L.A. more generally is at its lowest point ever because of coronavirus. Plus, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sequel is now opening on Oct. 7, 2022 instead of April 8, 2022.
“As we are already well into Q2 with a 100% decline in production, and with that situation unlikely to change until June, if then, we predict that no matter when production returns to LA in 2020 and at what level, the entire year will finish deep in the red,” notes L.A. Communications boss Philip Sokoloski told Deadline.
MGM Studios alone recently laid off 7% of its staff.