Lockdown has many of us longing to be back in our local multiplex, tucking into a big bucket of popcorn as the latest blockbuster plays on the big screen.
It will cheer many movie fans to know, then, that Cineworld has unveiled its reopening plans - and the chain is set to start showing films again from the 10th July.
The chain shut down its 787 cinemas - spread across 10 countries - when the world went into lockdown.
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With the gradual loosening of restrictions, the firm will be able to lift its shutters and reopen its screens to the public next month - with social distancing measures in place, of course.
Reportedly, some branches will reopen during the last weeks of June, with the remaining sites reopening over the course of the next month.
After three months of no business, it's hoped that movies like Christopher Nolan's Tenet and Disney's live action Mulan will draw viewers back to the big screen.
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Cineworld will introduce "several operational changes", along with new technology, to make the cinema "safe but enjoyable" for movie-goers.
Firstly, there'll be social distancing in auditoriums, though it's not yet clear whether customers must sit two metres apart.
The chain has updated its booking system accordingly, to ensure that cinemas aren't over-full and punters are spaced out.
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Similarly, movie schedules will be formatted so as to manage queues and avoid crowds gathering in Cineworld lobbies.
Cleaning procedures will also be enhanced, with thorough sanitation procedures in place.
Chief executive Mooky Greidinger said: "We are thrilled to be back and encouraged by recent surveys that show that many people have missed going to the movie theatre."
Greidinger added: "With a strong slate confirmed for the coming weeks, including among others Tenet, Mulan, A Quiet Place Part II, Wonder Women 1984, Black Widow, Bond, Soul, Top Gun Maverick and many more, the entire Cineworld team remains committed to being 'the best place to watch a movie'".
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The news comes just a day after the chain pulled out of a deal to buy Canada's Cineplex chain in a C$2.8 billion agreement.
The full list of Cineworld territory reopening dates is:
- US: July 10th
- UK: July 10th
- Poland: July 3rd
- Czech Republic: June 26th
- Slovakia: June 26th
- Israel: July 9th
- Bulgaria: July 3rd
- Hungary and Romania: TBC (anticipated for week of July 3rd)
Topics: lockdown, TV and Film, Cinema