When do cinemas open again in the UK

With a complete shutdown of cinemas in the UK, the movie industry has had it tough over the last year. There’s a lot at stake for everyone involved, from actors and crew to big studios and theatre chains, so everyone is keen to see cinemas open again.

Movie lovers everywhere are just as eager to get back to the big screens, so there could be a meteoric bounce back for the industry if all goes according to plan. The good news is that there is a plan, so here’s everything you need to know about when cinemas are scheduled to get back to something resembling the good old days.

Re-opening schedule for England

With four distinct government structures throughout the UK, there’s a little complexity to the schedule, but there isn’t that much in it. The details for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are covered in the sections below. For England, the current plan is for cinemas to open again no earlier than the 17th of May. If you’re wondering what films will be out for the opening week, you can see more details at the bottom of the page.

As things stand, the Prime Minister’s roadmap for re-openings has been correct, so there’s no reason to assume any different here. There’s also a lot of positive statistics being reported in the media about infection rates and overall numbers falling in the UK, so this is another good sign that the 17th is the date to look forward to.

Reopening schedule for Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland

• Unfortunately, the Northern Ireland roadmap dates don’t currently mention when cinemas can re-open. However, there is an indicative date of the 24th May 2021 for licensed and unlicensed premises for indoor use. While this is mostly designed to cover pubs and restaurants, there is also a reference to it extending to the tourism sector and indoor visitor attractions, which could include cinema chains. We’ll continue to review the details that are announced and update things here if full confirmation for cinemas is announced.
• In Scotland, the date is the same as in England, so again you’re looking at the 17th of May. It’s currently down as a “hope”, but as mentioned above things are looking positive at the moment.
• The situation is a little less clear in Wales, which appears to be a little behind the rest of the UK in terms of dates for the hospitality and entertainment industries. The cautious approach being taken means that there isn’t a specific date to look forward to. The review relating to indoor venues is expected to take place on the 17th of May 2021, so it is possible that there could be a lift of the lockdown for cinemas in Wales in time for the bank holiday weekend on the 28th May 2021.

Films in cinemas for the grand re-opening

Obviously, cinemas and studios are being cagey about specific dates, so here’s a rundown of films that could be out for the opening week:

• Sound of Metal
• Nomadland
• Minari

As you can see, this is mostly films that have already had their streaming debut, but we’re also hoping that the big cinema chains will work things out to get the Snyder cut of Justice League.

If you’re looking for the next new film to hit the big screen, that will be Peter Rabbit 2, planned for the 21st May 2021. It’ll be followed shortly after by Cruella on the 28th of May, Monster Hunter on the 18th June, and The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard on the 23rd June. Fast & Furious 9 and Black Widow will lead the summer blockbuster list with the UK release now planned for the 9th July 2021.