Landmark Theatres said Monday that it is shutting down all locations for precautionary reasons in the wake of the current coronavirus outbreak.
In a statement obtained by Deadline, Landmark said, “All Landmark Theatres are temporarily closed as of Midnight tonight. This decision allows our staff to remain at home during this critical time. We will be in touch when we plan to reopen. We hope everyone stays safe during this time and we look forward to seeing you at the movies soon!”
Founded in 1974, Landmark is best known for playing independent and foreign films. Since its inception, the theater chain has grown to 49 theaters in 27 markets.
The news of Landmark’s closures come after Regal Cinemas announced it was shutting down all locations starting March 17 until further notice. Regal is the second-biggest chain in the U.S. with 7,155 screens in 542 theaters in 42 states, and is the first big chain out of the top 3 to close. More theater chains are expected to follow.
On Sunday, New York City and Los Angeles announced they were closing all movie theaters and entertainment venues in an effort to curb coronavirus.