European movie theater giant Vue International has made a bold plea to its landlords in a bid to survive the novel coronavirus crisis.
In a letter sent earlier this month and seen by The Hollywood Reporter, the multiplex chain — which operates almost 2,000 screens across 10 countries, including the U.K., Germany, Italy, Denmark and Taiwan — asked for a "complete waiver of all rent and service charge," which would have been due for the period of closure.
Like most operators, Vue shuttered all 228 of its sites in March as the pandemic spread, with the exception of its sole 20-screen Taiwanese cinema.
Some European countries are beginning to offer a timeframe for the easing of lockdown restrictions, including the reopening of cinemas, but in.