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The marquee of the IFC Center in Manhattan welcomes viewers back after being closed nearly one year // NPR, Ryan Kailath
Movie theaters in Chicago, Houston, Phoenix and Philadelphia have been open for months. But attendance remains low, not just because of public safety concerns but because there isn t much to see. Major studios are delaying their blockbusters, or releasing them straight to streaming.
One big reason? The two biggest movie markets in the country, New York City and Los Angeles, remain closed.
Now, New York City is reopening theaters at reduced capacity. AMC Theatres, the largest chain in the country, opens its doors on March 5. But the second-largest, Regal Entertainment, will stay dark.
Audio: The Movie Industry Holds Its Breath As New York Reopens Theaters scpr.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scpr.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
BBC News
By Natalie Sherman
image captionAs cinemas reopen, will audiences return?
As soon as authorities announced that New York City cinemas could reopen on 5 March, Eric Thirteen was at his computer, ready to book tickets for the first film he could find.
Before the pandemic, the 34-year-old, an independent film director and producer, went to screenings three or four times a week. But he s been largely homebound for nearly a year. It s a huge vacuum, he says. I could see almost anything right now and I d probably be thrilled.
As cinemas reopen in New York - a key cultural capital in the US and one of its biggest movie markets - the film world is watching to see just how widely shared Eric s enthusiasm is.
New York cinemas reopen, brightening outlook for theaters
JAKE COYLE, AP Film Writer
March 5, 2021
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1of11Kathyn Dennet, center, and Brian Haver leave the IFC Center after viewing a screening on Mank , Friday, March 5, 2021, in New York. The couple who live in the Bronx came to Manhattan to view the movie at their favorite theatre. After growing cobwebs for nearly a year, movie theaters in New York City reopen Friday, returning film titles to Manhattan marquees that had for the last 12 months read messages like Wear a mask and We ll be back soon. Cinemas in the city are currently operating at only 25% capacity, with a maximum of 50 per each auditorium.Mary Altaffer/APShow MoreShow Less