Regal Reopens: Godzilla and King Kong Fight at New Roc City

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Knoxville-based Regal Theaters confirmed on Wednesday that the Regal New Roc 4DX, IMAX & RPX in New Rochelle will be one of the first of its cinema complexes to reopen following the shuttering of all of its screens nationwide following a spike in coronavirus infection rates. The theater is scheduled to open to the public on April 2.

The entertainment group has selected Godzilla vs. Kong as the premier presentation. Fans will finally find out if Kong can beat the giant lizard in a no-holds barred ape versus lizard battle royale.

According to Regal Theaters Health Director Dr. David Goldsmith, there are a number of protocols in place through the chain's Cinema Safe program to help lower the risks for moviegoers. Regal employees will undergo daily health screenings, be required to wash hands every 30 to 60 minutes and all workers will be required to wear masks. Audience members will be required to wear masks at all times - though movie watchers will be allowed to remove coverings when eating or drinking.

Pre-purchasing tickets and selecting seats in advance is preferred. Regal says it will refund payments if anyone in the party should feel ill before arriving at the cineplex. Patrons who wish to buy popcorn or sodas will be required to either use a credit card, debit card or gift card as payment in order to keep concession workers from handling both cash and food.

Long before coronavirus changed our lives, the theater in New Rochelle reduced the number of seats in each auditorium in order to accommodate larger, more comfortable chairs. Still, social distancing will be evident in lines, the lobby and the auditoriums where seats will be automatically blocked before they are assigned in order to keep audience members from getting too close for comfort.

Although there are a laundry list of policies in place to keep theatergoers safe, movie buffs who still aren’t comfortable attending a screen in person can watch Godzilla vs. Kong at home on HBO Max. No masks are required at home theaters and the concessions are much more affordable, but for some of us, Godzilla and King Kong deserve the big screen.