Vue cinemas to reopen in early July under new plans

Cinema chain is reportedly eyeing up a new Christopher Nolan film as its first summer blockbuster

Vue Cinemas has unveiled a number of measures the chain will enforce in summer when cinemas reopen around the UK.

Representatives told Variety that the cinema chain “welcomes” the government’s plans to open cinemas from 4 July, as part of Boris Johnson’s official “roadmap” to restart the UK economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have been liaising closely with authorities across Europe to design operating procedures that can provide the degree of social distancing required and allow an experience for our customers and staff that is as safe as possible,” Vue said in a statement.

“Big screen entertainment is a force for good in society, providing an accessible and controlled way for families to begin to enjoy life outside their homes and we are excited to be able to start planning for a future where we can enjoy movies together again.”

Among the measures suggested by the chain are physically isolating family groups via Vue’s online booking system, staggering film times to make social distancing easier, and additional cleaning and employee protection protocols.

The cinema chain reportedly has Christopher Nolan’s film Tenet lined up as its first major release for the summer, which – if released as scheduled – will arrive in cinemas on 17 July.

Vue is also working on plans to reopen its cinemas in a number of international markets, including Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, in the coming weeks.

Cinemas across the UK have been closed during the coronavirus pandemic, with several high-profile films suffering delays as a result, including Disney’s live-action Mulan and the new James Bond film No Time to Die.

Tim Richards, Vue’s chief executive, previously said that he was discussing social distancing measures with UK authorities.

“We can control how many people come into our cinemas,” he said.