Spring Lane Cinemas in Sanford announced late Monday that it will reopen on Nov. 13 after nearly eight months of inactivity brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made via a Facebook post: “Did you miss us? Starting Friday, November 13th, the kettle is on and we’re poppin’ like it’s hot! Stay tuned! Showtimes are coming!” Minutes later, the cinema’s Facebook page shared a banner ad for the movie “Freaky,” starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton, set to open on Friday, Nov. 13.
Movie theaters have been among the hardest hit industries during the pandemic. Three publicly traded theater chains reported more than $1 billion in losses in the third quarter of 2020, according to MSNBC. AMC, the largest chain in the word, saw revenue fall by 91 percent, while Cinemark saw a nearly 96 percent drop in revenue.
Those that have remained open have stayed alive through limited capacity showings and private screenings for groups. Not helping things, many big-budget films like Disney’s “Mulan” have opted to go straight to streaming services this year. Other big films like “Wonder Woman 1984” and the next “Bond” movie keep pushing back their opening dates in hopes of a vaccine or loosened restrictions on group gatherings.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is nearing 10 million cases, and several states are reporting record positive tests. Cases have slowed in the past two weeks in Lee County — currently there are 138 active, and 2,200-plus people overall have been infected locally. The virus has been responsible for 24 deaths in Lee County since April.