US Cinemas To Close Under New Crowd Guidelines

The Associated Press reports:

U.S. movie theaters nationwide are preparing to shut down after President Donald Trump announced new guidelines urging against gatherings of more than 10 people because of the coronavirus pandemic. With big screens across the country going dark, Hollywood moved to rush some new releases onto home entertainment platforms.

Regal Cinema’s the national’s second largest theater chain, said Monday that would close all cinemas beginning Tuesday. AMC Theaters, the largest theater circuit, didn’t immediately respond to messages. Earlier in the day, AMC said it would limit audiences to less than 50 people for every screening to facilitate social distancing.

The coronavirus pandemic also cracked Hollywood’s traditional theatrical window. Universal Pictures on Monday said it will make its current and upcoming films available for on-demand rental, becoming the first major studio to turn directly to home viewing in light of the virus.