If I had to guess, I'd assume these businesses might disappear, but some other company will snap them up by the time they're allowed to exist again and will resume operations. I can't see the whole business model disappearing forever.

There has already been talk that there are interested parties that have shown some interest in buying some of AMC theaters.

That stale popcorn smell....
The crunch crunch of people masticating...
The obnoxious slurping of overiced soda...
The whispers, cells phones, belchs...
I will not miss.

@Mahkno : Agreed. It was kind of fun to take our child to see some of the 3D releases like Up 10 to 15 years ago, but we haven't been in years for exactly the reasons you mentioned. It is funny, when we first got DirecTV in the mid-90s there were talks that Hollywood would be releasing first run films directly to satellite, maybe with a 1 week lag but at a premium pay-per-view charge. The closest that DirecTV came to getting that was an alliance with Block Buster in the early 2000s with new video releases as a pay-per-view with 30 minute staggered starting times and a 24 hour viewing window.

Removed By Request

I hope people who enjoy movies return to the theaters. I haven't been to see a movie (out or at home) since I am not a movie buff. Last time I went was to Sunnyland since it was cheap.

@cjsummers :
You can't beat that, especially with the Star Wars, Harry Potter movies, and the last two Avengers movies. Also Rocketman. My younger daughter was employed at what was then Kerasotes 14 Cinema complex while in high school and at ICC. It's now called New Vision Theater. It was also an AMC for awhile.

I wonder what will become of places like the Morton Cinema? It's owned by a guy named Mark McSparin. He owns a bunch of theaters in little towns all over the state. Some of them historic buildings. I can't imagine any of them being high volume to begin with.

Streaming is convenient but the big screen cannot be replaced.

Hopefully a private equity firm don't get too involved in this. When they do they seem to run things right into the ground.

The movie theater in my small home town has been selling their world famous popcorn and other snacks curbside..place has cars lined up to get their goodies each evening..keeping them afloat until they can re-open.

I think they will. The protests cured the coronavirus.

I saw a local article about a drive-in movie type business to open soon by the Keller Station Building on Knoxville across from Junction City.

Garth Brooks is going to put on a concert and you can view it at the drive-in. Watch the turn out on this venue.