IMAX just announced the upcoming release of all 3 films in The Lord of the Rings trilogy in their own gigantic ultra-HD theaters. But many die hard fans of the films and books may feel as though they wished upon a monkey's paw, as the announcement has inspired an echoing question of "why during a pandemic?"
The official IMAX website posted this news as just the latest in their seemingly regular theatrical announcements. Starting February 5th, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring will begin showing in select IMAX theaters across the United States. This will be followed on February 12th, when both The Two Towers and The Return of the King join the action at the same theaters. According to the ticketing site, it appears Fellowship may only run until the 11th, while Two Towers and Return seem to end their showings on the 18th.
This news was received across the internet with a rather confused reaction. A number of Twitter users appeared to be happy about the idea, but confused about the timing. While the idea of an IMAX release of what are widely considered some of the most visually gorgeous films with arguably perfect casting ever produced sounds like a no-brainer on paper, the concept of doing so while the public is encouraged to avoid crowds in the middle of a pandemic has questions and concerns flying.
It's not to say that IMAX is unaware of the risks. Their own announcement clarifies things a bit, saying "All IMAX movie theatres are subject to compliance with local health and safety guidelines and regulation. As many IMAX theatres around the world reopen, your health and safety remain our highest priority." The news story also links to IMAX's own general statement on health and safety, reiterating the sentiment posed in the announcement.
It's difficult to say whether or not IMAX should have made this announcement when they did. On one hand, the fact that their theaters have been allowed to open (enough to even meaningfully affect things like Demon Slayer's box office numbers) might, in theory, suggest that they understand and enforce proper health and safety guidelines. On the other hand, many would argue that the only way to properly stay safe is to stay home, regardless of how well guidelines are being followed. Even though the COVID-19 vaccines have finally begun their distribution, it's still going to be a long time before everyone can receive one. Even then, there's no guarantee everyone will, or that it will be effective for each recipient.
There's little to do but encourage everyone to be as careful as possible. Maybe go alone and be sure to keep a safe distance from everyone else, or only go with people who have been quarantined together. Or perhaps just simply stay home and watch the films on a nice big TV. Snacks are cheaper when they're homemade anyway.
Source: IMAX