At first it looked like AMC would be delayed with reopening their cinemas in New Jersey given the state’s last minute OK this week, and now the biggest exhibitor in the world will have two locations ready to go for Christopher Nolan’s time thriller noir this Friday, Sept 4: AMC Jersey Gardens 20 and AMC Wayne 14.
If you live in Manhattan, NYC and are itching to get to the movies, well, now there’s a way.
AMC Jersey Gardens is a 39 minute from Manhattan, NY where cinemas are waiting for the all-go to reopen, while the Wayne is a 35 minute drive (with no traffic).
New Jersey is the circuit’s sixth largest state by screen count. By Sept. 10, AMC will open all 27 of its New Jersey theatres.
As early as Monday, September 7, AMC expects to reopen an additional seven sites, including AMC Brick Plaza 10, AMC Brunswick Square 13, AMC Clifton Commons 16, AMC Deptford 8, AMC East Hanover 12, AMC Newport Centre 11 and AMC Garden State 16.
The news comes two weeks after theater owners in the Garden State lost a legal bid to force the governor to open theaters. A federal judge August 18 upheld Murphy’s closure of cinemas in the state, dismissing a motion for an injunction by the National Association of Theatre Owners and five cinema chains (including AMC) that would have allowed them to open their doors. Theaters had tried to make a case for discrimination since New Jersey allowed churches to open but not movie theaters.
Adam Aron, CEO and President of AMC Theatres said in a statement, “This is a great day for moviegoers in the state of New Jersey, for AMC and for our hundreds of employees in the state. We are especially pleased that our studio partners can rely on an expanding and enthusiastic audience for their new movie releases, as more and more states in the U.S. approve the opening of cinemas. We are excited to welcome our guests in New Jersey back to the movies, where they will experience the magic of the big screen along with our new AMC Safe & Clean policies and procedures. Our comprehensive commitment to operating our theatres safely now includes social distancing through limiting ticket sales and automatic seat blocking, seamless contactless ticketing, greatly enhanced cleaning procedures, the availability of hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes throughout our theatres, as well as a mandatory mask policy for all guests and crew members. We’re
also closely monitoring local and state guidance, and we are complying with any additional capacity restrictions. In addition, we have invested millions for high tech solutions to sanitization and disinfection including electrostatic sprayers, HEPA vacuums and MERV 13 air filters. Guests returning to AMC can do so knowing that we’ve been in constant dialogue with top scientists and experts in public health and cleaning about how best to reopen our theatres in ways that will be responsible and welcoming.”