It was just the beginning of this year that we still had the option of hopping in our cars and heading out for fun nights filled with friends, popcorn and new flicks.
However, now looking at theaters feels eerily far away and hidden in the past, as if it were as antiquated as a telephone booth. With the competition of all kinds of new forms of entertainment, COVID-19 is not the only thing that has aged movie theaters. Even just last year in pre-pandemic time, movie ticket sales declined by about 5%, according to the National Association of Theater Owners.
Now, despite the recent COVID-19 cases and deaths, Regal Manchester theater in Rock Hill is set to reopen on Aug. 28.
In contrast to shopping malls, outlets and various stores, theaters often do not have ideal air circulation. Additionally, the seats are close beside each other, and most have a fabric component that cannot be quickly wiped down with sanitizer before and after each movie showtime.
And even if a mask mandate is enforced at the ticket booth, most people will probably take their masks off by the time they sit down.
How do Winthrop students feel about going to the movies in the midst of a pandemic?
“I don’t think people should go unless social distancing and mask guidelines are enforced and air filtration systems are upgraded,” senior Emily Miller said. “I went to movies a lot before the pandemic, and definitely miss being able to, but I’d much rather wait until it’s safe to before going again.”
Like most of the students at Winthrop, Miller is among the 18-29–year–old age group, which holds the highest percentage rate of moviegoers than any other, according to a report released by Statista in June of last year. Yet, although this age group was the most frequent in their movie theater attendance, a steady decline was still taking place before the pandemic began.
One of the biggest impacts on the movie industry has been Netflix, Hulu, Firestick and Amazon Prime movies. Another factor to consider is the ease of scrolling through posts on social media and watching YouTube videos for hours. In particular, with smart televisions there is the capability to be more selective, specific and practical when sitting down on the couch to find something to watch. Instead of flipping through television channels that consist of commercials every thirty seconds, one has the option to bypass most of that and be more particular about what they actually watch.
Being able to watch almost anything right in one’s own abode has drastically changed the movie industry.
Adding COVID-19 on top of that has put theaters on pause. With Regal Manchester opening back up, many of us might have to stop and think about the risks involved.
How might the future of entertainment change from here on out? Perhaps movie theaters will be around a while longer, but, like all other forms of entertainment, it must evolve with new, creative ways to adapt to all the changes happening every day.
Photo by Jamia Johnson
