Cineplex calls for federal aid to help struggling theatres amid COVID-19 The new membership program arrives as theatre operators around the world look for ways to get people back into the habit of going to the movies after the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated already changing viewer habits.Many of Canada’s theatres were closed for the better part of a year as lockdowns rippled through the country, causing many of the past year’s most notable films to either be delayed or skip theatres entirely in favour of streaming platforms.Some movies were acquired by Netflix, while several Disney titles launched on the company’s streaming platform free of charge to subscribers.