US movie theatres have closed nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, turning dark nearly all of the country's 40,000-plus screens in an unprecedented shutdown.
The largest chains had tried to remain open even as Hollywood postponed its upcoming release plans and guidelines for social distancing steadily diminished the recommended size of crowds.
But after President Donald Trump on Monday urged against gatherings of more than 10 people, AMC Theaters, the nation's largest chain, said Tuesday its theaters would close altogether.
AMC said the latest guidelines made movie theatre operations "essentially impossible".
It said it would close all locations in the US for at least six to 12 weeks.
Regal, the second largest chain, said Monday that its theatres would close until further notice.
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With movie theatres locked down for the foreseeable future, some studios took the extraordinary step of funnelling new or recently released films onto home viewing platforms.
Universal Pictures said Monday it will make its current and upcoming films available for on-demand rental, becoming the first major studio to break the traditional theatrical window of 90 days due to the pandemic.
The studio said it will put movies currently in theatres "Invisible Man", "The Hunt", "Emma" up for rental as early as Friday.
It also said that "Trolls World Tour", one of the only major releases left on the April calendar, will debut in theatres and on-demand services simultaneously. A 48-hour rental will cost USD 19.99.
Most of Europe's cinemas have already shut down, as have those in China, India and elsewhere. North America's shutdown came gradually. On Sunday, the mayors of New York and Los Angeles ordered their cities' theatres closed. Governments in Massachusetts and Quebec also closed theatres.
Cinemark, the nation's third-largest chain, hasn't yet announced closures. But chains like the Alamo Drafthouse, Landmark Theatres, Showcase Cinemas and Bow Tie Cinemas have closed. Most of those that haven't yet declared themselves closed are expected to do so this week.
The Alamo Drafthouse put an "Intermission" card up on its website.
"This news this situation is devastating," the 41-theater circuit based in Austin, Texas, wrote. "When we re-open after this unprecedented and indefinite hiatus, it will be in a dramatically altered world, and in an industry that's been shaken to its core."