After several months shut by lockdowns, cinemas in New South Wales will finally reopen this October as the state reaches its key vaccination targets. Once 70 per cent of over 16s have been fully vaccinated, which is predicted to occur by Monday, October 11, venues including retail stores and entertainment facilities will be able to reopen to the vaccinated with covid-safe plans firmly in place.
Many local cinemas have already announced plans to reopen on October 11, including iconic venues like Randwick’s Ritz Cinemas. Like other venues, they’ll be implementing new covid-safe procedures including capacity limits (75 per cent capacity, or 1 person per 4 square metres) so if you’re keen to see a movie you missed during lockdown, make sure to grab tickets and get in quick.
Not every cinema is opening right away and there are several yet to detail their plans, but it’s a good idea to check in with your local and see when you’ll be able to chow down on some great popcorn flicks.
Moviegoers have been starved for content over lockdown as services like Disney+ reduced their at-home movie offerings, but you’ll now be able to catch all those juicy cinema-only hits, as long as you’re fully vaccinated.
It is important to note that some new blockbuster films, like No Time To Die and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, are still delayed in Australia despite cinemas reopening. You’ll be able to catch both of those later in November.
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The good news is there are plenty of movies you will be able to watch when NSW cinemas reopen.
What can you watch when NSW cinemas reopen?
It’s been a long few months, and while many of us have been stuck in lockdown we’ve missed a great deal of films.
Blockbusters that launched during cinema shutdowns include Black Widow, Free Guy, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, The Suicide Squad, Candyman and Jungle Cruise, while indie hits like Lamb and Pig also flew under the radar.
Of those, you can now catch Black Widow, Free Guy, Jungle Cruise and The Suicide Squad on streaming services or online, but there’s nothing quite like going down to the cinema and watching them on the big screen.
There’s also several hits that have yet to hit streaming at all, and Marvel fans will be particularly happy to know Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will finally be released in New South Wales when cinemas reopen. You can wait until it hits Disney+ on November 12, or you can catch it a bit earlier.
In future, you’ll also be able to watch fresher blockbusters like No Time To Die, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Dune and yes, Spider-Man: No Way Home.
It’s a great time to be a fan of cinema, and there’s plenty of goodness on the way. While we have had to wait an age for movies to return, the wait will be well-earned, and worth it.