Boise Edwards Theaters Inch Closer to Re-Opening

Movie theaters may have gotten the green light to re-open in Stage 3 of the Idaho Rebounds plan, but the Treasure Valley's largest theaters haven't taken advantage of that opportunity.

Theaters like The Reel Theatre and Overland Park Cinemas, which rely primarily on second run movies, have re-opened with throwbacks like Back to the Future, ˆJaws and Jurassic Park filling the majority of their showtimes. The Flicks recently installed a new air filtration system and re-opened.

But the bigger movie chains like Regal (who owns Edwards) and Cinemark (who recently took over the management of the Majestic) have opted to keep their theaters closed even though local health orders allow them to re-open. It's a decision primarily driven by the fact that studios continue to push back their new releases.

Chirstopher Nolan's Tenet will premiere in select cities in the United States over Labor Day weekend. Disney has pushed back Mulan indefinitely but still lists their next Marvel movie, Black Widow as opening on November 6. Wonder Woman 1984 has been delayed to October 2.

Regal is now eyeing August 21 as a re-opening in cities where health orders allow. Unhinged, staring Russell Crowe and Antebellum, a horror thriller, are listed as the wide release for that weekend.

When the theaters reopen, guests are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance through the Regal app to allow for contactless payment. They'll offer the ability to buy concession items through the app. The concession stand will be temporarily limited, refills on large drinks and popcorn will be suspended and there will be no self-service condiment stands.

One new safety feature coming Regal theaters is ULV Foggers. These electrostatic 'fogger' machines allows employees to quickly and effectively sanitize every seat in the theater between screenings.

Their online reservation system will be set to maintain the number of seats between groups to fulfill distancing requirements. You can read the rest of Regal's safety game plan, including it's mask policy, by clicking HERE.