Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi Gives More Detail About Theaters Re-Opening

Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi Gives More Detail About Theaters Re-Opening

By Allyson Vannatta, Senior Writer

Cinemark, the third largest theater chain, says, “The engine has been lit,” and will hold to its phased re-opening plan that it laid out earlier this month.

Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi (a friend of MOVIEGUIDE®) caught up with Deadline for their “Reopening Hollywood” series that focuses on the industry getting back on its feet.

The four phased reopening begins on June 19, with more theaters opening on July 3, July 10 and July 17.

Zoradi told Deadline his thoughts on what reopening theaters will look like after the coronavirus.

“I don’t expect to have a light switch go on, and theaters are back at their maximum capacity allowed. I think it will be a process, that’s why we’re opening up with library product, and I think movies like Mulan and Tenet will play longer. We have less product at the beginning. While we have the ability to not open with a gigantic (box office) opening like it would have prior, movies are going to play longer, because people are going to gradually come back. Word of mouth is going to start. Social media is going to go ‘Wow, it’s a really clean environment and the prices are reasonable.’ And, I keep coming back to –moviegoing, is without question, the most affordable piece of family entertainment.”

Cinemark theaters will abide by state guidelines on the percentage of people that can be in a theater at one time. Although, Cinemark itself set a 25% capacity limit unless a state says it can be higher.

Zoradi is confident that as things pick back up, and as new titles are introduced to the big screen, more people will venture out to the theater.

He said the fourth quarter looks really good and that, “2021 looks really good because a bunch of movies got delayed.”

The theater chain also won’t make moviegoers or employees wear masks unless state guidelines make it a requirement. However, Cinemark “highly recommends” employees to do so either way.

Concessions in the theaters will be operating with their “core” refreshments like bottled drinks, soft drinks, popcorn, with limited packaged candy, limited alcohol, and frozen drinks.

The price of concessions will be highly reduced to encourage people to come back. Cinemark Movie Club members will receive additional price reductions on refreshments and library movie tickets.

When it comes to movie distribution and how Hollywood does business, Zoradi doesn’t believe the coronavirus has affected it in a “categorical way.”

“As long as I’ve been in this business, there have been the movies that have gone outside of theatrical, directly into the home market,” he said.

He added, “The big movies, the ones that really count, these movies from a financial standpoint have to go theatrical.”

However, Zoradi said, “Today’s world is streaming. Sometimes studios are going to make movies just for streaming, the same way that Disney made movies for the Disney Channel for years, the same way that HBO has made movies.”

View this post on Instagram

Wonder Woman 1984 is coming to Cinemark this fall. See it October 2, 2020. ✨ #WW84

A post shared by Cinemark Theatres (@cinemark) on Jun 12, 2020 at 4:20pm PDT

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What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.