Movie Ticket Sales In America Experience Lowest Point In 20 Years

Vin Diesel (Sony Pictures)

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic or the corona virus which has spread in recent months has begun to touch the realm of entertainment, especially films. As well as screenings of several films having been delayed, movie ticket sales this week hit their lowest in 20 years. This has been called the worst box office weekend in Hollywood.

September 2000 was the last time box office films bagged such low profits. Reporting from Comscore, Monday, March 16, at that time as many as 54 million tickets were sold at the weekend. After that, new people returned to visit theaters on September 11, 2001. Meanwhile, this week, sales in America and Canada only touched the figure of 56 million United States (US) dollars.

Several films such as Onward and Bloodshot continue to air according to the set schedule. However, their achievements are of ordinary value if you look at the numbers. Onward, Disney Pixar's animated film became the highest at this time with 10.5 million US dollars.

Underneath is the film I Still Believe from Lionsgate which won 9.5 million US dollars. Bloodshot in third place earned $ 9.3 million. These three films achieved revenues below initial expectations, given the corona virus that has only attacked the United States in recent weeks.

Not only in the United States, China, India, and Asian countries have also had to postpone the screening of several films since the outbreak of the corona virus has increased. Films such as Mulan, A Quiet Place 2, Fast & Furious 9, and No Time To Die chose to take a break from the initial broadcast schedule instead of swallowing the bitter pill of not winning the box office title.

Quoted from TIME, the two largest cinema chains in the United States, AMC Theaters and Regal Cinemas, said they could not fill half of their studios to impose social distancing. People who wish to continue watching are asked to vacate the seats next to them. It's also a great way to clean up the theater.

Health authorities in America announced to minimize public social interaction, especially meetings with specific capacities. New York bans events with more than 500 attendance, California limits it to 250 people, until Ohio limits 100 people to an event.

In Indonesia, a number of production houses have also taken steps to postpone films. Starting from the KKN in the Dancer Village to the Gokil Guru Guru had to be postponed indefinitely due to the corona virus which has now begun to spread in the country. Meanwhile, some films that continue to be shown in theaters must experience low income.