Regal  Cinema, the second-biggest movie theater chain in the United States is closing according to a report this week by Variety. Regal’s parent company Cineworld responded to the recent news that the upcoming James Bond film ‘No Time To Die’ has been postponed yet again due to the Coronavirus pandemic to April 2, 2021. This unfortunate move will close 543 Regal locations in North America along with their Cinerworld theaters in the U.K. and Ireland.  These theaters are expected to remain closed into 2021. The Chicago Tribune has the full story here.

The Bond blockbuster was expected to hold firm with it’s November 2020 release so the postponement is yet another devastating blow to the movie theater industry which has seen Americans reluctant to come back to theaters in big numbers due to pandemic-related concerns and major studios pushing major films back into 2021. The Christopher Nolan epic ‘Tenet’ was hoped to be a savior for the cinema business but it failed to meet those expectations earning just $20 million in the U.S. in its first weekend. This followed opening first overseas with a $53 million. take according to Variety.

Regal has 10 locations in and around Chicago that will be impacted by the closures. It is not clear whether these closures are permanent at this time.

Movie expert Dan Murrell lays out how these big delays for huge titles hitting theaters is such a major blow to the theater chains.