Beijing partly reopened movie theatre on friday. But as per the rule Movie theaters will limit attendance per screening to 30% capacity, with non-adjacent seating. Audience members must reserve tickets and wear masks; no concessions will be sold. Eating and drinking both are not allowed. These are similar to the COVID-19 safety rulings released last week for the Middle Kingdom when cinemas in other parts of the country were given a green light to reopen this past Monday.
As with most venues in China, a temperature check and online travel record were required for entry. Cinemas have been closed for around six months but began reopening this week in major cities throughout the country.
There are 262 cinemas in Beijing, however those classified as in medium-high risk areas will remain closed. Those planning to open must submit a list of movies they plan to screen to the film administration before noon on Thursday.
On Monday, there were just about 835 cinemas open across the country (or about 12% of the total). Chinese box office that day totaled a little over $500K. On Tuesday, that was upped to over $677K. As of 7PM local time today, daily takings are at $685K with the re-release of Sheep Without A Shepherd in the lead. After Dolittle and Bloodshot this weekend, 1917 and Sonic The Hedgehog will open on July 31.
Tickets at Poly International Cinema’s branch near Tiananmen Square were sold out Friday, with the marquee boasting the comedy Dolittle and superhero attraction Bloodshot. China’s domestic movie industry has also been generating major ticket sales while audiences have warmed to features from India and other foreign countries.
Movie poster designer Liu Jingyu managed to grab tickets for both Hollywood films shown at the Poly cinema, rekindling his hopes after seeing his earnings dry up over the past half-year.
