AMC, Alamo, Landmark, And Cinemark Closing Theaters Due To Coronavirus

You can now add AMC, Alamo Drafthouse, Cinemark, and Landmark to the growing list of locations shutting down for the time being. Yesterday, Regal announced they would be closing all of their United States locations due to the coronavirus (aka COVID-19), and now these chains are joining in. AMC had first sought to limit the number of attendees, first by reducing occupancy by 50% and then capping the total at 50 people per screening.

AMC

AMC, the largest theater chain in America, is shutting down, effective today, March 17. The plan is for the theater chain to remain closed for six to 12 weeks. "In compliance with local, state, and federal COVID19 directives, all AMCTheatres locations are now closed for at least 6-12 weeks," the chain said on Twitter. "AMC Stubs A-List memberships will be paused automatically during the time AMC theatres are closed."

If you're an A-List member and want an actual refund, AMC will provide one if you reach out to them directly. More info can be found here.

Alamo Drafthouse

Alamo Drafthouse is also shutting down for the time being, per an announcement on their website. They also provided a list of things guests might be curious about:

  • All tickets, including convenience fees and ticket add-ons, will be automatically refunded.
  • If your ticket was purchased through Fandango or any other platform, they will be processing your refund.
  • If your ticket was purchased in person (at the box office), please contact avp@drafthouse.com and we'll follow up as soon as we can.
  • If you're a Season Pass member, we are pausing your account and billing. We'll reactivate it and notify you when we reopen – any unused portion of your current subscription period will be applied to your account when service resumes. If you'd prefer to cancel your account or you need to make a change, please contact seasonpass@drafthouse.com.
  • "We are deeply saddened to announce that all Alamo Drafthouse Cinema corporate-owned locations, and all but one franchise-owned locations, are now closed until further notice. All shows have been canceled, and all tickets will be refunded," the company said. The one location still open is a theater in Winchester, Virginia.

    Landmark

    Finally, Landmark is also shutting down all locations for the time being. "All Landmark Theatres are temporarily closed as of Midnight tonight," the company said. "This decision allows our staff to remain at home during this critical time. We will be in touch when we plan to reopen. We hope everyone stays safe during this time and we look forward to seeing you at the movies soon!"

    Cinemark

    Cinemark has also joined in on this, and plans to close all of its 345 locations in the United States. The decision was "incredibly tough, but we know it is the right thing to do as global coronavirus concerns continue to escalate," said CEO Mark Zoradi. Like the other theater closings, this is supposed to be temporary.

    At this point, it's probably safe to assume all movie theaters in the United States will be shut down soon. See you on the other side, folks! And keep washing your dang hands.