Movies on the big screen are coming back to Jackson County.
The reopening of Regal Seymour is scheduled for July 31, according to a Regal customer relations representative.
The local cinema manager could not be reached for comment.
Regal announced the closure of all of its theater locations beginning March 17 as a precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the theaters have remained closed since then.
With the reopening less than two weeks away, Regal has posted its new health and safety procedures online at regmovies.com/static/en/us/corona-virus-response.
Reopening plans include a wide range of new health and safety measures based on guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health organizations.
The plan also includes safety measures based on feedback from employees and moviegoers and what they feel are the most important measures to take in order for them to return.
Regal will provide new contactless payment options. Along with the ability to purchase tickets in advance on the Regal mobile app, customers will have the opportunity to purchase concession items from the app.
Regal employees will sanitize every auditorium and seat after each movie using new electrostatic fogger equipment.
Also, each Regal theater will schedule frequent sanitizing of high-contact points and use floor markings throughout the building to help with social distancing.
Regal employees are to undergo daily health screenings and will be required to wear face masks and wash hands a minimum of every 30 to 60 minutes, depending on job role.
Guests will be required to wear face masks in the lobby, hallways and restrooms. Masks may be removed in the movie auditoriums.
Guests will be encouraged to enter their movie auditorium as soon as possible and exit the theater promptly after the movie is over.
Hand sanitizer dispensers are expected to be available on both sides of the main entrance.
Where required by state or county mandate, auditorium capacities will remain at 50%, and moviegoers will be requested to leave two seats between groups.
According to cnbc.com, the pandemic has changed how people are watching movies. Since movie theaters closed in March, moviegoers are opting for streaming and on-demand services.
Most movie studios have chosen to postpone theatrical releases until movie theaters open back up, but a few films have skipped the theaters altogether and have gone straight to people’s homes.
“Trolls World Tour” broke records with its digital debut in the United States on April 10. The movie went directly to on-demand and did well because schools were closed at the time and people were quarantined, according to cnbc.com.
Before the movie theaters closed in March, Missy Casner of Seymour said her family would just go for special occasions or if there was a movie they wanted to see soon after its release.
“We’ll probably do the same when and if things go back to some form of normal,” she said. “We don’t plan on going any time soon. I hope this all blows over by the time ‘Top Gun 2’ comes out.”
Georgiann Coons of Seymour said she loves going to the movies.
“While watching at home is nice, there’s nothing like sitting in the theater for the complete experience,” she said. “We almost always go to Yes Cinema in Columbus.”
Seymour resident Daniel Thorneycroft said the last movie he saw was “Sonic the Hedgehog.”
“I usually only hit up the theaters if there’s a movie I’m really wanting to see. Otherwise, I wait for DVD release,” Thornycroft said. “I’ve barely noticed the fact that the movies have been closed.”
Tyler Knotts of Brownstown said he thinks movie theaters probably will decline due to COVID-19 fear.
“It will be some time until people feel comfortable to go back, and even when they can, will they want to?” Knotts said. “People may get used to just streaming things and watch from home, but if Regal uplifts local movie makers in the U.S., then maybe there could be something.”
Seymour resident Sadie Gonzales said she’s not going back to a movie theater or any public venue until there’s a vaccine or the daily cases stop increasing.
“I’ve been mostly binge watching old favorites but will buy occasionally if it’s something I really want to see,” she said. “It would be great if someone could set up a temporary drive-in theater here in town.”
Drive-in movie theaters have become more popular over the past few months, although there are none in Jackson County. Some Indiana drive-ins have even live-streamed concerts.
Some Jackson County residents have even created their own backyard movie theaters.
Arann Banks of Brownstown is among them.
“We have created a backyard theater with a huge screen (20-by-10 feet) and have been watching old movies,” she said. “Still a little shaky until there is a vaccine.”
Amanda Newby and her kids made their own backyard theater for a couple of nights with a sheet and a projector.
There is one thing that is missing from watching movies at home, though, and that is the concession stand.
Regal will still have concessions with a temporarily reduced menu offering. Also, refills on large drinks and popcorn will be suspended, and every other register will be closed to maintain social distancing.
The Regal website states the franchise will continue to monitor the health and safety requirements for Jackson County and will adjust accordingly.