The film industry has taken a massive hit. Theaters have shut their doors to prevent social gatherings amid the pandemic. Although people can still enjoy a film in the comfort of their own homes, quarantine life is forcing those same people to find an excuse to get out of their house or apartment.
Certain drive-in movie theaters have remained open, and are seeing a massive spike in business, as the public desperately seeks some way of breaking up the monotony of life at home, day after day after day.
The Showboat Drive-In Theater, for example, in Hockley, Texas, saw a 40% jump in revenue two weeks ago, and a 90% increase just last week. The only two pictures the theater was showing was Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” and “The Invisible Man”, starring Mad Men’s Elizabeth Moss.
“Everyone is looking for a way to feel normal and this is a way of being safe,” Andrew Thomas said — the owner of the Texas theater. “I spend all day answering emails from people who never heard of us before, because they are trying to find something to do.”
Drive-in theaters are now equipped to show movies during the day. Many have purchased new LED screens. This was never a concept in the 20th century when teenagers would take their date to a drive-in movie. Business is now booming because of these screens.
Not all theater owners are as lucky as Mr. Thomas. According to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association, 89 of the 305 US drive-ins in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and Maryland have been forced to shut down, due to the virus.
All owners would love to be open, but they and some state governments, such as New York, see it as a health risk for both employees and theatergoers.
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To read the full report on MSNBC, click here:https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/29/social-distancing-phenom-drive-ins-boom-as-movie-theaters-close.html
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