Several of Hollywood’s biggest filmmakers have signed an open letter warning the US Congress theaters to face extinction.
Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig, Clint Eastwood, Lulu Wang, Martin Scorsese and more have signed a letter asking for additional pandemic relief for the cinemas due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
AMC, the largest cinema chain the United States said in June it could go out of business after a record $2.4 billion loss in the first quarter of the year.
“Cinemas are an essential industry that represent the best that American talent and creativity have to offer. But now we fear for their future,” the letter began, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“Our country cannot afford to lose the social, economic and cultural value that theaters provide. The moviegoing experience is central to American life. Theaters are great unifiers where our nation’s most talented storytellers showcase their cinematic accomplishments.”
The letter went on to highlight that cinemas “support millions of jobs in movie production and distribution, and countless others in surrounding restaurants and retailers that rely on theaters for foot traffic.
“Movie theaters are also leaders in employing underrepresented groups, including people with disabilities, senior citizens, and first-time job holders.”
The letter was sent by the National Association of Theatre Owners, the Directors Guild of America, and the Motion Picture Association, addressing Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.
The full list of filmmakers who signed the letter are:
- Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
- Agustín Almodóvar
- Pedro Almodóvar
- Wes Anderson
- Judd Apatow
- Jon Avnet
- Sean Baker
- Noah Baumbach
- Michael Bay
- Susanne Bier
- Barbara Broccoli
- James Cameron
- Antonio Campos
- Damien Chazelle
- Jon M. Chu
- Sofia Coppola
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Lee Daniels
- Dean Devlin
- Clint Eastwood
- Andrew Erwin
- Jon Erwin
- Paul Feig
- Shana Feste
- Scott Frank
- Cary Joji Fukunaga
- Greta Gerwig
- Evan Goldberg
- Paul Greengrass
- Leslie Greif
- Luca Guadagnino
- Catherine Hardwicke
- Alma Har’el
- Albert Hughes
- Allen Hughes
- Alejandro González Iñárritu
- Barry Jenkins
- Patty Jenkins
- Rian Johnson
- Miranda July
- Nicole Kassell
- Jon Landau
- Francis Lawrence
- Mimi Leder
- Ang Lee
- Rob Letterman
- Shawn Levy
- Richard Linklater
- James Mangold
- Sam Mendes
- Adam McKay
- Steve McQueen
- Ted Melfi
- Reed Morano
- Christopher Nolan
- David O. Russell
- Jordan Peele
- Todd Phillips
- Guy Ritchie
- Seth Rogen
- Joachim Rønning
- Michael R. Roskam
- Martin Scorsese
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Zack Snyder
- Steven Soderbergh
- Joey Soloway
- David E. Talbert
- Betty Thomas
- Emma Thomas
- Liesl Tommy
- Denis Villeneuve
- Taika Waititi
- James Wan
- Lulu Wang
- Chris Weitz
- Paul Weitz
- Michael G. Wilson
- Edgar Wright
- Joe Wright
- Cathy Yan
- David Yates
In relevant news, Regal Cinemas to close all theaters this week after James Bond No Time To Die got pushed back. The owner of the largest chain of theaters in the UK and Ireland the second largest in the United States, Regal Cinemas, will reportedly close all of its theaters this week. According to Variety, all 543 theaters in the United States will close, which accounts for over 7,000 movie theaters across the country. The Sunday Times reports over 100 theaters in the UK and Ireland will also close.
