Coronavirus safety measures will make 34% of moviegoers return in one month: Survey

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Although it is not immediately clear what the long-term effects of the coronavirus pandemic are going to be, 77 percent of moviegoers told Atom Tickets they will be ready to return to theaters in a few months, according to a recent survey.

In fact, 34 percent of these respondents said they would return to movie theaters within one month of reopening while 18 percent would wait two months or more. Another 25 percent said they would return to theaters immediately.

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This study is contrary to the input received from multimedia analytics firms Performance Research and Full Circle Research Co., which found that 70 percent of respondents would rather watch new movies from home, as FOX Business reported last week.

Moreover, Atom Tickets said 21 percent of respondents would wait for a vaccine before they return to movie theaters. Only 1 percent of moviegoers claim they will never go to a movie theater again.

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“Moviegoers are telling us that they miss the experience of going to the movies and they’re ready to get back, but that the experience needs to look slightly different than before,” said Matthew Bakal, the chairman and co-founder of Atom Tickets. “We anticipate a rapid acceleration in digital ordering, just as we have seen in other industries, in order to reduce the amount of person-to-person interactions.”

The desire for contactless transactions is at an all-time high for moviegoers, with more than 88 percent having said they plan on buying tickets online to limit interactions with cashiers during the coronavirus.

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Likewise, moviegoers may also seek to order concessions in advance to avoid crowded lines, Atom Tickets’ survey suggested. Sixty-one percent of moviegoers who have not pre-ordered concessions in the past said they would be likely to give it a try in exchange for a swift pickup.

Additional COVID-19 safety measures that appeal to moviegoers include spaced seating protocols in theater auditoriums, at 42.2 percent; heightened theater cleaning procedures, at 21.14 percent; required face masks for staff and guests, at 14.36 percent and required temperature checks for staff and guests, at 6.41 percent.

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“We’re eager to resume being together with friends and family, but we want to do so responsibly,” Bakal added. “Atom is working with our theater partners to roll out spaced seat maps so that guests can see the steps being taken in order to provide a safe environment.”

When it comes down to which movies will bring moviegoers back to theaters, “Black Widow” takes first place at 58 percent, and “Wonder Woman 1984” takes second place. Rounding out the top five are “James Bond: No Time to Die,” “Mulan” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”

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