Yatala Drive-In.
The Yatala Drive-In in South East Queensland is the first cinema in the country to re-open – and business went through the non-existent roof last weekend.
Owned by Peter and Stephen Sourris’ Five Star Cinemas, the three screens traded on Saturday, Sunday and yesterday, charging $35 per car-load.
Despite the fact that capacity was limited to 50 per cent, Paramount Pictures’ Sonic the Hedgehog raked in an impressive $20,000 over those three days.
Universal Pictures’ The Invisible Man fetched a tidy $19,000 and Sony Pictures’ Bloodshot earned $11,000.
All three had their theatrical runs curtailed when the nation’s cinemas shuttered in March and subsequently were released on digital platforms.
The live action/CGI adaptation of the Sega video game has grossed $12.1 million, Leigh Whannell’s thriller has collected nearly $8 million and Bloodshot has $2.18 million.
That trio will continue screening at the location from Thursday. The drive-In, which opened in 1974, is deploying strict social distancing measures to protect guests and staff from the risk of infection.
It was allowed to re-open with the approval of health officials and the City of Gold Coast.
Customers have to pre-purchase tickets online, restrooms are available for emergency use only, the candy bar is limited to 10 people at a time and hand sanitiser stations are placed at each entrance area inside the building.
All patrons are asked to bring their own garbage bags to dispose of when they get home. The cinema requests that attendees are accompanied only by people they normally live with or no more than one non-resident.
Sony’s Jumanji: The Next Level will open on Thursday May 14.