Christopher Nolan Urges Moviegoers To Help Theaters When Pandemic Ends

The threats posed by the deadly coronavirus are getting bigger and bigger with each passing day passing. All the businesses, from IT to Automobile, are facing problems due to the pandemic that has engulfed the entire world. One of the worst-hit industries is none other than the entertainment industry. More than 95% of the cinema halls in the world have closed their doors to the public to prevent the spread of the virus.

As a result, the companies that own these theaters are facing a lot of financial crunches and are unable to pay their staff members in such crucial times. To make everyone realize how big the problem really is, filmmaker Christopher Nolan has come out urging everyone to help theaters when everything gets back to normal because they are not just a source of entertainment, they are a source of livelihood for many people.

Writing an op-ed for The Washington Post, the 49-year-old director highlighted the importance of the cinema halls and noted that the movie business is not just about the “stars” and the “glamour” but it is also about the people who work behind the scenes. Nolan also shared that movie theaters help people in earning their livelihood.

“The movie business is about everybody: the people working the concession stands, running the equipment, taking tickets, booking movies, selling advertising, and cleaning bathrooms in local theaters. Regular people, many paid hourly wages rather than a salary, earn a living running the most affordable and democratic of our community gathering places,” Nolan said.

The “Dunkirk” helmer also believes that despite having a lot of streaming services, cinema halls remain an integral part of the movie industry. He further stated that his work can “never” be completed without those workers.

“I hope that people are seeing our exhibition community for what it really is: a vital part of social life, providing jobs for many and entertainment for all. As a filmmaker, my work can never be complete without those workers and the audiences they welcome,” Nolan said.

The acclaimed filmmaker concluded by saying that people like them do not go to the movie theaters for the popcorn or soda, people go there for “each other.”

“Maybe, like me, you thought you were going to the movies for surround sound, or Goobers, or soda and popcorn, or movie stars. But we weren't. We were there for each other,” Nolan said.

Nolan’s op-ed comes at a time when more than 70,000 cinema halls have been shut down in China alone. Countries like the U.S., India, Denmark, Italy, Germany, and many more have followed China’s pattern and closed all their theaters.

Many new films like “The Invisible Man,” "Birds Of Prey," “Trolls World Tour,” “The Hunt,” “Bloodshot” and “The Way Back” will be available for digital purchase soon.

The cases of COVID-19 have reached 337,042 while more than 14,500 people have died so far. The death toll in Italy has reached the 5,000 mark. As of late, more than 59,000 positive cases have been reported in Italy and 5,476 people have lost their lives due to the deadly illness.