Will Biden Roll Out COVID Vaccines Fast Enough for Movie Theaters – and Spring Blockbusters?

Will Joe Biden’s rapid rollout of COVID-19 vaccines be rapid enough to save Hollywood blockbusters aiming to release in theaters this spring — and to save the ailing exhibition industry that needs those big-budget films to bring back moviegoers? Even if the new administration manages to vaccinate 100 million Americans by the end of April, only 35% to 40% of the U.S. population will have been vaccinated by the time “Black Widow,” the Marvel blockbuster that movie theaters have been hoping will be the first film to truly revive the theatrical box office when it opens on May 7. And other films are currently aiming to hit theaters in the following weeks. Universal is set to release its “Fast & Furious” installment “F9” in theaters on Memorial Day weekend, while films like Disney/Pixar’s “Luca,” Universal’s “In the Heights” and Sony’s “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” are set for release in June. Movie theaters don’t need to wait for the U.S. to achieve herd immunity to begin reopening — epidemiologists say that 85% of the population will need to be vaccinated to reach that figure — but a significant number of adults ages 18-49 will need to be vaccinated and have...

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