Only Days After Reopening, Chinese Theaters To Close Again

Although thousands of movie theaters are closing across the world because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, it was reported this week that theaters in China were starting to reopen. But it seems that this was short-lived, as the Chinese government has now ordered that they must all be shut down once more.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, no official reason has been given for this reversal in policy. However, the site suggests that the government is concerned about a potential second wave of the virus. In any case, this decision was made quickly--theaters have been reopening steadily over the last week, and there were plans to rerelease Hollywood blockbusters such as Avatar and the Avengers movies to help kickstart the box office.

In the US, all the major theater chains have closed over the past few weeks. As a result, numerous movies have had their digital releases moved forward. Universal's The Hunt, The Invisible Man, and Emma were all still playing in theaters before the shutdowns and can already be watched at home, while Bird of Prey and Bloodshot were also released to video-on-demand this week. In addition, the action sequel Bad Boys For Life has had its digital release moved up and will be available from March 31.

Movies that have had their theatrical releases postponed include No Time To Die, Black Widow, Mulan, F9, and A Quiet Place: Part 2. In addition, a number of high profile films have had their production suspended, such as The Batman and Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.