The year 2020 has negatively affected many companies thanks to COVID-19, but with the help of social distancing, wearing masks, and finally getting our vaccines, the U.S. has been doing its fair share of fighting back against this devastating virus. Many businesses were able to reopen recently and are slowly getting back on track to the way they used to be before this past year. However, movie theaters are still facing struggles trying to get back on board with the new times and having people enjoy movies again.

Even during COVID, businesses were able to find their way around the virus to keep a flow of some revenue while the order for indoor activities being prohibited was in place. Instead of sitting inside restaurants, you could enjoy your meal outside using the setup tables or eat it at home after using the to-go service. Stores were able to use online shopping which was already becoming the new normal way of shopping anyways. However, movie theaters never really had this option. Some have tried drive-in movies, but they never found the same success that other businesses did. 

Luckily, movie theaters were able to open up now that Orange County has moved up a tier in the COVID regulations, but that is where the luck ends. Many popular movies are still being pushed back for release in theaters because only a small capacity of the theaters can be filled, meaning not as many people can see these new movies and they will not have as much success as they would if this was before COVID. This means that there are not many new movies for people to watch, and the other movies being shown are nothing special, causing no one to actually want to go to the movies now that they are finally open. 

However, with the decrease in COVID cases the U.S. is currently having and the rise in vaccines being given, it can not be long until things will be able to open at full capacity and back into the swing of things. Many movies are still going to be released in theaters in the upcoming years that will draw in big crowds to fill these theaters. People will be especially eager to see these movies at the theatre since they were meant to come out already and a lot of people are missing the feeling of seeing a great movie at the comfort of a theater. Camille Khong (10) comments on movie theaters opening up saying “I think everybody is starting to adapt and adjust to this new lifestyle so I am excited to go back into theaters and see the various upcoming Disney/Marvel movies”.  Movies like Black Widow were meant to come out during the span of COVID but never did, growing the anticipation of fans for this movie to finally come out. 

Though movie theaters might still be facing the ongoing struggle of COVID-19, there is nothing but hope for them as restriction rules continue to become more lenient. In no time, theaters will be full of people waiting to see these upcoming movies that were put on hold, and these cinemas will finally find their success once again. Soon enough, the thing to do on Friday nights will finally be going to the movies once again.