California and Nevada Say ‘Let’s Go to the Movies!’
After a year of everyone avoiding crowds, the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) for California/Nevada want people to know:
Ivy Griffith
After a year of everyone avoiding crowds, the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) for California/Nevada want people to know: it’s time. They’re inviting people back to the movies with their Big Screen is Back campaign. With masks, distancing, and enhanced cleaning policies, the theater can be a safe place to visit – especially for vaccinated individuals. So after avoiding theaters for a year, are you ready to hit the big screen again?
Big Screen is Back
NATO wants people to return to the theaters as soon as possible. The film industry has suffered over the past year, but their theater pals have had it worst of all. Even though many movies have found ways to problem solve filming and production, for a long time the reality of sitting an audience in a closed room elbow-to-elbow with strangers was an insurmountable issue. And movies were released digitally straight to home, bypassing theaters altogether and sending a shock of fear through theater owners that they would never again see crowds return. But there’s one thing the straight-to-home experience can’t replicate; the atmosphere. You can’t get real movie popcorn, all the candy you can imagine, and those small-child-sized sodas at home. So the theaters are saying, “come on back; we’re ready!”
NATO’s press team shares, “‘NATO of California/Nevada is thrilled to welcome audiences back into our theatres across California and Nevada,’ said Milton Moritz, President and CEO of NATO of California/Nevada.
‘Our goal with the ‘Big Screen is Back’ campaign is to get people excited to see their favorite stars, larger-than-life, again. We have waited so long to feel the thrill of seeing a blockbuster on the big screen, and now is the time to make the magic happen again.’
The shuttering of thousands of theatres in California and Nevada, as well as around the country, profoundly affected the film industry and communities that have put their lives on hold for 15 months. The new ‘Big Screen is Back’ campaign by NATO of California/Nevada hopes to be the spark that reignites the excitement of movie night.”
The press team released a movie, and it definitely hits the mark; the 30-second movie touches briefly on all the big current and upcoming blockbusters of 2021 and it makes you yearn for the dim lights and booming speakers of a theater to enjoy the full sensory experience. A voiceover in the best movie voiceover tradition booms, “In your town. On your street. The wait is over. The big screen is back. The movies, the way you’ve always loved them is the way to see them again.”
2021’s Upcoming Blockbusters
Even though people are only slowly trickling back into public after the pandemic isolation, it won’t be hard to convince them to return to the theaters; 2021’s lineup is impressive.
The following movies have already been released and many are still available for viewing in theater:
- Tom and Jerry: This animated revival of an age-old favorite hit theaters in February.
- Raya and the Last Dragon: Disney’s newest animated blockbuster hit theaters back in March as well as home streaming, and it was received with much acclaim.
- Morbius the Living Vampire: Jared Leto‘s Marvel thriller also starred Matt Smith and Michael Keaton and hit theaters back in March.
- No Time to Die: The newest Bond movie starring Daniel Craig hit theaters in April.
- Mortal Kombat: This newest adaptation of the popular 90’s video game franchise hit theaters in April and was enjoyed by many.
- Fast 9: The newest installment in the never-ending Fast and the Furious series hit theaters in May – with the usual suspects including Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez.
And these titles are anticipated to be released in 2021:
- Black Widow: The newest Avengers standalone movie starring Scarlett Johansson hits theaters July 9th.
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage: The Venom sequel hits theaters in September and brings back Tom Hardy.
- Top Gun: Maverick: Tom Cruise returns for the new Top Gun movie, coming to theaters this November.
- Jungle Cruise: This playful interpretation of the Disney ride of the same name stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, coming to theaters July 30th.
- Dune: This is the eagerly-awaited newest interpretation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic of the same name is coming to theaters October 1st. Former attempts to bring the beloved story to the big screen have failed utterly.
The Arts Have Returned
It’s not just theaters that are back; the arts entertainment industries across the board are coming back to life. In New York City, Broadway is just months from reopening. Across the Atlantic in France, the Cannes Film Festival is moving forward this week at full capacity. Concerts and productions across the United States are returning to an industry deeply hurt by the pandemic shutdowns.
In cities like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York City where so many people’s livelihoods rely on crowds gathering for performances, 2020 was a dark and terrifying time. Now, with the vaccine roll-out continuing and more places reopening their doors, workers in these industries can breathe a sigh of relief – the Big Screen is Back.