Cineworld announced it will temporarily close all of its 102 sites across the country, and Cineworld-owned Picturehouse will shut another 25.
Late last week James Bond studios MGM and Universal delayed the release of No Time To Die for a second time.
The release of Christopher Nolan’s action-thriller Tenet in August offered the industry a needed boost, making more than £5 million at the UK and Ireland box office in its opening weekend.
However, Disney decided at short notice to release its live-action Mulan film – which had been expected to draw family audiences back to movie theatres – on its Disney+ streaming platform instead.
Another of this year’s hotly anticipated releases, Wonder Woman 1984, has also had its release date pushed back.
The superhero sequel, starring Gal Gadot, had been set to arrive in the US on October 2 but now has a December release date.
Director Patty Jenkins said: “Because I know how important it is to bring this movie to you on a big screen when all of us can share the experience together, I’m hopeful you won’t mind waiting just a little bit longer.”
There are suggestions other films could be delayed or forego a theatrical release entirely to launch on streaming platforms.
Here is the current release schedule for 2020, which may be subject to change:
The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (Launches on Netflix)
Rebecca (Released in cinemas before Netflix release on October 21)
Over The Moon (Released in cinemas before Netflix release on October 21)
The Witches (Launches on HBO Max)
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
Soul (Pixar)
Free Guy (20th Century Studios)
Peter Rabbit 2 (Columbia Pictures)
Coming 2 America (Paramount)
Death On The Nile (20th Century Studios)
Dune (Warner Bros)
Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros)
