Cinemas have now been closed across the UK and Ireland - on and off - for the better part of 2020, and the damage it's taken on them is extensive.
It's not yet known how many cinemas will survive into 2021, but the reality is that the industry is on its knees. In a lengthy report by the Financial Times, it's been revealed that the Cineworld Group is now carrying a debt burden of somewhere in the region of £6.2 billion and is exploring options for insolvency, which would lead to some cinema sites closing permanently.
The Parnell Street site here in Dublin has been closed since last month, when Universal opted to push 'No Time To Die' back to 2021. Indeed, just today, 'Wonder Woman 1984' was confirmed to be receiving a dual release on HBO Max and on any cinemas that happened to be open for its release date.
It's not yet known if the Dublin site is one of the possible permanent closures in the Cineworld group, as no official statement has been forthcoming from them since the FT's report. Previously, Cineworld said that the closure of its sites was a temporary measure, but gave no fixed reopening date.
Currently, the UK is in lockdown with cases trending upward, while Ireland is potentially looking at exiting lockdown for a short period over Christmas.
