A new EDO moviegoer study has found that 75% of U.S. filmgoers are more likely to return to cinemas upon their re-opening if certain safety measures are implemented.
Movie theaters in North America are coming back to life with around 200 locations open as of Friday – double that of last weekend – though drive-in movie locations are dominating the landscape with about 150 of that count while 50 more regular cinemas are now open (most of which are in Texas). Many aren’t pushing a return to normal though until July when the first major films like “Tenet” and “Mulan” aim to be released.
The new survey broke down the protocols with 91% saying theaters should have hand-sanitizer stations throughout the building, 86% favoring limited showtimes to allow for extended cleaning times between screenings, 77% want employees to wear facemasks, 70% want employees temperatures checked, 70% want attendees to wear facemasks, and nearly 60% of moviegoers are open to having their temperatures taken.
Only 5% believe no safety measures should be implemented. The survey initially asked respondents outright if they’d return to cinemas with only 40% saying it was likely. However, with the implementation of their desired safety measures, that 40% jumped to 75%.
EDO is backed by three-time Oscar-nominated actor Edward Norton and utilises digital polling versus the industry’s standard pencil-and-paper polls.
Source: Deadline
