Belgium-based exhibitor Kinepolis will reopen its cinemas in several European countries over the next month, the company has announced. Kinepolis’ French theaters will reopen today (May 19), while its locations in Belgium are slated to open on June 9 “if all goes well,” as allowed under new guidelines announced by the Belgian government last week. Finally, the chain’s Netherlands locations are slated to open sometime in June, though the exact date is yet undetermined and depends on how coronavirus cases evolve in the country.
The announcement means that all of Kinepolis’ European locations are slated to open their doors to audiences once again, with capacity restrictions and other health and safety measures in place. Meanwhile, the company’s North American theaters are in various states of reopening; in the U.S., all ten of its MJR locations have been open since late December 2020, while its Landmark cinemas in Canada remain closed pending restrictions in the various provinces where it operates.
In all countries, Kinepolis mandates a host of safety protocols for visitors and employees, including social distancing, mandatory mask-wearing, visitor-flow management and strict sanitation rules. In a press release, the company says it hopes to lift these protocols as the year progresses in line with public health guidelines.
“These have been very long months, but we are delighted that we can once again offer our customers an immersive movie experience on the big screen, with the utmost respect for everyone’s safety,” said Eddy Duquenne, CEO Kinepolis Group, in a statement. “It is a special moment for many of our teams, who can finally welcome back customers after being closed for over half a year. And if we are to believe the reactions from the film fans, it’s going to be a special moment for them as well. With a number of major American titles also on the programme in the coming months, we are hopeful for a fantastic movie summer.”
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