Harkins Theatres has announced it will reopen all Arizona locations this Friday, Aug. 28. Available films will include The New Mutants, Unhinged, the 10th anniversary rerelease of Christopher Nolan’s Inception and several films whose runs in theaters were cut short by the pandemic. It will additionally screen a variety of classic films for $5 and begin early access screenings of Tenet on Monday, Aug. 31.
The reopened theaters will put in place a number of health and safety protocols that “meet or exceed uniform guidance from the CDC, governmental health authorities, and the National Association of Theatre Owners,” according to a release. These protocols include mandatory face coverings for guests and employees, except while eating or drinking in seats; mandatory social distancing; additional cleaning staff and enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures; daily health checks for employees; reserved and socially distant seating; staggered showtimes to reduce the number of guests in lobbies; safety shields at all customer interaction points; increased fresh air, hospital-grade MERV 13 air filters, and HEPA filtered vacuums in all auditoriums; and more.
“There is no question that this has been the most difficult time in my 50 plus years in the business,” said Harkins Theatres owner Dan Harkins. “I am so excited and so appreciative of our incredible team and tremendously loyal guests that have continued to support us through this challenging time. I will be there opening night and cannot wait to welcome everyone back to the movies!”
“In trying times, people have always looked to us to escape for just a few hours of solace and to immerse themselves in another world,” added Harkins president and CEO Mike Bowers. “After nearly six months, we are so happy and deeply grateful to our team and our valued guests for the opportunity to carefully begin our return to deliver on this mission again.”
The Harkins announcement comes as hard top theaters begin opening back up across the U.S. Yesterday, AMC Theatres announced it would reopen an additional 170 North American locations this Thursday after resuming business at 100 cinemas the week prior. To address safety concerns among the general public, earlier this week the nation’s largest exhibitor joined fellow members of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) to unveil CinemaSafe, a protocol of uniform health and safety guidelines to be instituted across 315 cinema operators.
For more information about Harkins Theatres reopening plans and to purchase tickets, visit Harkins.com.
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