These notable movies, TV shows are on hold because of the actors strike
18 July 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Regal Warren Old Town Theater is expected to host its final showings Thursday before closing its doors permanently.
Employees at Regal Warren West confirmed the Old Town location is set to close this week.
As of Monday, the website for the Old Town theater would not allow customers to book tickets past Wednesday, which was not the case for other regal locations in Wichita.
However, the theater’s closure is not an isolated incident. The pandemic put movie theaters in an unsteady position. The ongoing writers’ and actors’ strikes dealt more blows to the big screen.
“All of the major theater chains are scrambling for their lives, I think, right now,” said Dr. Larry Straub, Newman University Associate Professor of Management.
Straub said that the Old Town theater’s closure did not come as a surprise. Years of difficulties built up to the shutdown.
“They (movie theaters) just keep taking one body blow after another,” Straub said. “It’s been a really challenging time for them.”
Hollywood strikes will likely drag on for another three to six months at least, according to Straub.
“If that happens, it’s going to disrupt the movie flow again, and it’s going to impact the theatres even more than it has,” Straub said.
Some in the industry had a more optimistic outlook. They said they have seen people return to theaters after the pandemic.
“The customers are re-learning to go back to the theaters and rediscovering the magic of watching movies in the theater,” said Tyler Cooper, Boulevard Theatres President.