Cineworld to reopen cinemas in UK and US over next two months, announces exclusive deal with Warner Bros

World’s second-largest cinema chain has been closed for half a year due to the pandemic

Cinema chain Cineworld has announced it will reopen cinemas across the UK when lockdown restrictions lift in May.

It will also reopen cinemas in the US next month, coinciding with the release of Godzilla vs Kong and Mortal Kombat.

Cineworld, the world’s second-largest cinema chain, also announced it has struck an exclusivity deal with Warner Bros studio, which allows the company to show new Warner Bros releases exclusively for 45 days in the US, beginning next year.

In the UK, Cineworld will have exclusive rights to Warner Bros films for 31 days, before they are released for streaming, though this will rise to 45 days for films that sell a certain number of tickets.

Cineworld cinemas have been shut for sixth months due to the ongoing pandemic.

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The majority of Cineworld’s 127 UK cinemas will reopen on 17 May, in adherence to the government’s plans to ease lockdown restrictions. Cineworld is the first cinema chain to announce plans to reopen.

In the US, a proportion of its 536 Regal venues will reopen on Good Friday (2 April), timed to coincide with the release of Godzilla vs Kong, the fourth entry in Legendary Entertainment’s MonsterVerse franchise.

The remaining Cineworld locations will then reopen on 16 April, coinciding with the release of the video game adaptation Mortal Kombat.

According to US Covid restrictions in most states, cinema theatres will only be permitted to be open at half capacity.