OK, movie-lovers, let’s try this again: Stadium 9 in Durango will reopen its doors Friday.
The theater closed along with just about everything else in the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened at the end of June, but because the theater was showing older films – Hollywood has been slow releasing new movies – audiences were pretty small, and the theater closed not long after, said Kara Young, director of operations for Allen Theatres.
“People weren’t quite as excited about old movies as we thought they’d be, so we thought we’d go on pause until we get new content,” she said. “Hopefully, the new content will be more of a draw.”
Movies scheduled to open Friday are: “Bloodshot,” “The New Mutants,” “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” “Unhinged,” “Words on Bathroom Walls” and an awesome throwback – “Rocky.”
Young said new releases will continue, including the highly anticipated action/thriller “Tenet,” which is expected in September and is the first big film set to open since the pandemic took hold. She said September’s offerings will be a little sparse – the action/comedy “The King’s Man” is the other big film opening – but there are 10 or 11 new films on deck for October.
“I think it helps a lot having AMC reopen,” she said. “Some of the larger chains are open, and I think that’s really what’s helped Hollywood to release their stuff.”
Just as when Stadium 9 opened earlier this summer, the theater will adhere to strict safety protocols, including social distancing, disinfecting between screenings and requiring staff members and patrons to wear face coverings. The theater is also trying to space out the crowds by having very few films starting at the same time to cut down on foot traffic.
And while some people may be a little gun shy about returning to the movies, Young said there are just as many now ready to grab an ICEE and popcorn and catch a show.
“Really overwhelmingly, we have gotten nothing but, ‘Please open.’ So I think as long as there’s something people want to see, they’ll go,” she said.
katie@durangoherald.com
