Half of Ireland’s cinemas are now open for business, Wide Eye Media (WEM) reports. The Eclipse, Gate, IMC, Movieworld, Movies@, Odeon, Omniplex, The Arc, The Lighthouse and various independent screens are now operating again. Su Duff, marketing director, WEM, said other cinemas are due to reopen in the coming weeks as new releases come out.
Although capacities are considerably reduced due to social distancing requirements, ticket sales are said to be holding up, with week-on-week growth up by 61 per cent based on box office receipts for week ending July 30. As of August 6, Omniplex admissions reached 100,000 since reopening, thanks to movies like Russell Crowe’s Unhinged and 100% Wolf.
WEM reports that 71 per cent of cinemas north of the border have reopened since Covid-19 restrictions were eased. Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (above), starring Robert Pattinson, Perfect 10, Spree, An American Pickle, Broken Law, Bill & Ted Face the Music, Greenland and Matteo Garrone’s fairytale Pinocchio (above) are expected to draw handsome audiences.
