The world’s second-biggest cinema operator, Cineworld, is set to close all its screens in the United Kingdom and Ireland, according to the Sunday Times.
The cinema chain owner wrote to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and culture minister Oliver Dowden over the weekend to say the industry has become “unviable” because of film studios’ decision to postpone big-budget films.
Cineworld reported a loss of $1.6 billion in the first half of 2020. It warned at the time that it might need to raise more money in the event of further restrictions or film delays due to Covid-19.
On Friday, the 25th James Bond film, ‘No Time to Die’ was pushed back to April 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic. The film industry had hoped the film’s release would spark a movie-going revival in the UK. The release of “Black Widow” and “West Side Story” has also been delayed. Both ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Dune’ are expected in December, but they could be delayed if theatres remain closed
Rita Osakwe
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