In the pre-COVID-19 world, 'Where'd You Go Bernadette?' a drama starring Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Kristen Wiig and newcomer Emma Nelson, was launched in the US last year by United Artists Releasing, playing widely on more than 2,400 screens.
The floodgates opened last weekend with more than a dozen new releases led by 'The Personal History of David Copperfield', plus several re-issues as more cinemas resumed trading.
Drive-in cinemas in Adelaide and Heddon Greta near Newcastle resumed trading last Friday, drawing big crowds, as a survey of more than 20,000 Australians showed 98 per cent look forward to cinemas re-opening.
On the reasonable assumption that cinemas are trading in July, albeit with staggered seating, audiences can look forward to a raft of Hollywood films and, perhaps, several new Australian releases.
The Federal Government's decision to rule out extending the $1,500 a fortnight JobKeeper wage subsidy to casual workers who had been employed for less than a year will penalise many thousands of cinema industry employees and screen sector freelancers.
The US studios and independents have booked more than two dozen films for the US summer season, starting with the launch of Disney/Pixar’s Soul on June 19.
Ticket sales at Australian cinemas plunged to a new low last weekend as coronavirus-wary audiences ignored almost all the new releases.
Leigh Whannell’s Sydney-shot 'The Invisible Man' easily won the box office derby in Australia last weekend, matching its top-ranked US debut.