Movie buffs can head back to some theatres starting Friday

Movie-goers can start heading back to some theatres in New Brunswick on Friday for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown started.

Cineplex is reopening its locations in Fredericton, Saint John and Dieppe. Locations in Miramichi and Moncton will open at a later date.

Like most places reopening after the shutdown, it's going to be a different experience than before the virus started appearing in New Brunswick in March. 

Sarah Van Lange, a spokesperson for Cineplex, said the capacity in theatres will be reduced by 60 to 80 per cent to allow for physical distancing. 

People will be able to sit in pairs and there will be three empty seats between each couple. And every other row will be blocked off. 

Van Lange said all tickets sold will have reserved seats, and the company is recommending people purchase tickets online in advance.

"Before you even leave your house, you know exactly what seat you're going to be sitting in, and you have assurances in knowing that you'll have proper physical distancing around you and your family," Van Lange said. 

Jason Boies of Fredericton is eager to head back to the movies.

He hasn't been to a theatre in nearly four months — something he used to do just about every week. 

He said the changes to allow physical distancing will make it a better experience than before the lockdown.

"I love the big screen and the sound and all that stuff, but the biggest downside has been people," he said laughing. 

But the roomier theatres aren't quite enough to get him back in a theatre seat just yet — he's waiting for a blockbuster title before he takes any risks.

"Streaming has changed the game," Boies said. "It would be a different story if this happened pre-Netflix, pre-Hulu, and pre-Crave and all that. We've got options at home now that are much safer."

Boies said once a movie comes out in theatres that he wants to see, he'll go if the number of active cases are still low in the province. 

He said the first movie that he thinks he'll go see is Tenet, which has already been pushed back until later this summer because of COVID-19.

Cineplex is reopening on Friday with mostly movies that were in theatres four months ago when the lockdown started. Sonic the Hedgehog and Bad Boys for Life, for instance, will be shown in a couple of theatres.

Van Lange said staff will be wearing masks, and Cineplex recommends customers wear a mask too. But,it will only be required in cities where it's already mandatory to wear a mask. Theatres will be cleaned between showings. 

Basic food items like popcorn, fountain drinks, candy, nachos and hotdogs will be available.