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Retail & Consumer

Cineworld says coronavirus will not stop movie releases despite Bond setback

Cinema chain vows forthcoming blockbusters will not be affected despite COVID-19 causing six-month postponement of Bond flick

Cineworld has opened in Plymouth(Image: Penny Cross / Plymouth Live)

Cinema chain Cineworld has said the spread of coronavirus will not impact on the release dates of other movie blockbusters despite the new Bond adventure being delayed, and stressed it is still expecting to announce profits of more than US$1billion.

The company, which has 786 venues and 9,494 screens in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ, said the postponing of the Bond movie No Time to Die, from March until November, was due to the closure of cinemas in the Far East, and it was not expecting to have to change the release dates of forthcoming releases.

The list of eagerly awaited movies due to hit the screens in the next few months include A Quiet Place: Part 2, Mulan, Fast and Furious 9, Wonder Woman 1984, Black Widow, Minions 2 and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Cineworld Group Plc, in a statement to the stock market, said the COVID-19 pandemic had yet to have any effect on audience numbers.

Inside Cineworld Plymouth(Image: Penny Cross / Plymouth Live)

The company, which opened eight º£½ÇÊÓÆµ sites in 2019 including its in Plymouth’s £53million The Barcode city centre leisure complex, said it is expecting its audited accounts for its worldwide business to reveal revenues of US$4.369billion and profit of US$1.032billion.

But the company did not rule out taking action to slash capital expenditure and cut costs if the COVID-19 virus has more of an impact.

The company said: “Given the impact that COVID-19 is having on the broader markets, we feel it is important to update our shareholders on current trading.

“Thus far, we have not observed any material impact on our movie theatre admissions due to COVID-19. Following an increase in admissions in the first two months of the year against the same period in the previous year, we continue to see good levels of admissions in all our territories, despite the reported spread of COVID-19.