Growing concerns of COVID-19 causes delays, postponements of movies, concerts

Entertainment companies requiring concertgoers to show proof of vaccine

FOX 11's Hal Eisner spoke with experts on how the entertainment industry is responding to the spread of the delta variant.

LOS ANGELES - Growing concerns over the COVID-19 Delta variant have caused many entertainment companies to push back movie releases as well as cancel concerts.

Venom and Hotel Transylvania 4 were supposed to come out soon but Deadline Editorial Director and Box Office Editor Anthony D’Alessandro says Sony is moving their premiere dates around.

"There’s a lot of concern by the studios about this looming Delta variant. I think we’re starting to see some re-dating and some movement of big motion pictures," he stated.

Some of the concerns he says is about young audiences and family movies.

"There’s’ a big concern especially with movie theaters; some - depending who they are - requiring vaccination cards and that’s going to affect business for the under 12 crowd."

"We are as we’ve heard so many times in unprecedented times," says FOX 11 Entertainment Reporter Amanda Salas. Salas says it’s not just movies that once again are being affected by COVID, but also some concerts.

"Stevie Nicks is literally NIXING some concert dates and saying this is too concerning and her health comes before her art. We’re also seeing a lot of artists, specifically musicians ask for proof of COVID19 vaccination or a negative COVID test before entering one of their concerts. Foo Fighters being a big one making headlines for that."

And, on the concert front if you were looking forward to going to Hermosa Beach for the Hermosa Harmony Festival spread across 5 stages….involving in excess of 20 DJ’s and local bands you’re going to have to wait till October.

"Hermosa Harmony Festival has been postponed from August 21st to October2nd due to rising health concerns… safety concerns due to COVID-19," said Cha Cha Pillai festival organizer.
Concerts, musicians, movie studios and operators of theater chains like Studio Movie Grill are feeling some pressure these days.

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Tearlach Hutcheson with Studio Movie Grill says, "Everything is so uncertain. Does it impact our business? Yes. And, our goal is to get through this pandemic and get through this year and really focus on 2022. But, I think there are still a lot of great films slated to come out later this year."
And, by later this year, he and others hope we’ll be in a better place with COVID and its variants.

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