Cinemark won’t require guests to wear masks when they return to see movies later this summer, the company said Thursday.
What’s happening:
- A Cinemark representative told TheWrap that CEO Mark Zoradi said masks won’t be required when the theater chain reopens.
- The representative said: “Outside of those areas where it is required by local mandates, Cinemark will be encouraging — not requiring — guests to wear face masks.”
- Zoradi said in the conference call: “We have been intensely focused in developing enhanced health and safety protocols, understanding that these factors will weigh heavily on the confidence and peace of mind of our employees, guests and community as we reopen our theaters. (We will be) requiring all employees to wear face masks and encouraging guests to do the same.”
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend people wear face coverings when they’re out in the public to avoid infection from the coronavirus.
More from Cinemark
- Zoradi has been speaking about his theater chain more recently. He announced Wednesday that the chain will reopen on June 19, as I reported for the Deseret News. Cinemark will begin “a multi-phased approach beginning June 19” ahead of the summer blockbuster season.
- Zoradi doesn’t expect movie theaters to be back on the “full-on rhythm” that they were before the coronavirus pandemic until at least 2022, as I reported for the Deseret News.
- Zoradi said: “The reality is I don’t think we’re going to be able to get into a full-on rhythm again of product cycles and all that we had prior to COVID-19 until 2022. That’s more production-related than our operation-related because as studios have had to adapt to not being able to do filming and do postproduction, they’ve had to move their schedules. Therefore, we’re going to adapt as well.”