Movies and the virus

On Friday night, I went to see Pixar’s Onward in a completely empty theater. Under normal circumstances, I would be thrilled to have an auditorium to myself. But at a time when toilet paper is sold out and hand sanitizer sells for $70 online, the barren movie theater made my stomach churn. With the Coronavirus pandemic making a name for itself in the United States, COVID-19 is having profound effects on the global economy. From postponed movie releases to celebrity Corona contractions, the entertainment industry is taking a hit.
The release of Disney’s Mulan is one of the more notable delays, letting many fans down. Mulan enthusiast Alison Larson says, “I’m seriously disappointed. I’ve been waiting for this movie to come out ever since I first heard they were doing a live action Mulan.” Other movie releases being delayed include The New Mutants, No Time to Die, A Quiet Place Part II, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, and the latest Fast and the Furious movie F9. Production of several TV shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Riverdale, Stranger Things, and the Ellen DeGeneres Show have been halted as well. Many late night talk shows have stopped taping with live audiences in an attempt to curb the spread of the highly contagious virus. Famous actors like Tom Hanks and Idris Elba have confirmed their ailments and more are likely to come.
AMC and Regal theaters have closed all over the country for up to 12 weeks in order to help fight the spread of COVID-19 by minimizing large groups of people. Several states have also shut down movie theaters and other venues. However, there is some good to come from the closures and delays. Disney has opted to stream Frozen 2 on Disney+ several months early and Universal Pictures plans to stream its movies that are currently in theaters on demand. In a statement, the studio said, “Given the rapidly evolving and unprecedented changes to consumers’ daily lives during this difficult time, the company felt that now was the right time to provide this option in the home as well as in theaters.” Movies like The Invisible Man and The Hunt will be available on Comcast, Amazon, Apple, and Sky.
With all the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus, it is reassuring to know officials in the entertainment industry are taking measures to keep everyone safe and healthy. While I am waiting for the tumultuous theaters to reopen in a few weeks, I think I could be perfectly content viewing my favorite films from the comfort of my own home.