Movie Theaters Reopen Across Region: Murrieta's Reading Shows How

MURRIETA, CA — Many movie theaters across Southwest Riverside County are reopening this weekend after the state announced Tuesday that some coronavirus restrictions were eased countywide.

The moviegoing experience will be a bit different. The state allows movie theaters to open indoors with modifications, including a maximum 25 percent capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

For its part, Reading Cinemas located at Cal Oaks Plaza in Murrieta announced Friday it is welcoming back movie lovers.

“Reading Cinemas has been working hard to enrich safety protocols and to train our team to abide by federal, state, local and industry guidelines,” said Reading's Division Manager Jennifer Deering. “We are delighted to welcome back the community and want to ensure the safest environment possible for our guests and staff.”

Reading provided a list of policies and procedures in place at its theaters. Here's what guests can expect:

• Masks are required to be worn by all guests and staff.

• Guests will be encouraged to buy tickets in advance, either online or through the Reading Cinemas US app.

• Only credit, debit, or gift cards will be accepted to limit monetary exchanges. A designated transactional space will be available onsite where cash amounts can be transferred onto a gift card.

• Guests should arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before showtime to limit theatre capacity and allow for increased sanitation.

• To keep a safe distance from others, guests will be required to sit in their assigned seats and capacity will be limited in the auditoriums. Ticket purchases for each party will automatically account for six feet of social distancing between parties, by blocking off the seats surrounding each group. Reading Cinemas further encourages parties to be made up of immediate household members where possible.

• Increased sanitization will take place regularly, with extra sanitization at high-touch point areas. Auditorium seating, personal tray tables and armrests will be disinfected after each use.

• To improve air quality, Reading Cinemas said it has upgraded all HVAC filters and increased maintenance frequency.

• Floor decals and signage have been placed throughout the theaters to help guests keep a safe distance from others.

• Hand sanitizer stations will be placed throughout the theaters. Guests will be encouraged to wash their hands before and after consuming food and drinks.

Reading's opening-day screenings include director Christopher Nolan’s "Tenet" in the Titan Luxe auditorium; "Akira," presented with remastered 4K visuals and remixed audio; and Sony’s "The Last Shift," starring Oscar-nominee Richard Jenkins. Other films include "Infidel," "Unhinged," and "The New Mutants."

Additionally, some family favorites will return to Reading's big screen at the special rate of $3 for children and $5 for adults. Films include "Shrek," "Despicable Me," "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back."

For more information, visit www.ReadingCinemasUS.com/CalOaks.

To find out if the movie theater nearest you is open, visit https://www.fandango.com/movie...