Boris Johnson had urged people to go back to the cinema, following another difficult week for the film industry.
Theatres were dealt another blow after the forthcoming James Bond film No Time To Die was pushed back until 2021. It’s a move that’s led to Cineworld announcing the closure of all of its chains in the UK and Ireland, affecting 45,000 jobs.
In light of the news, the Prime Minister said he would "encourage people to go out to the cinema, enjoy themselves and support".
The news of No Time To Die’s postponement comes as a major blow to cinemas, with the early positive signs from the release of Tenet fast fading. Christopher Nolan’s film took £5.4m in its opening weekend at the end of August.
Cineworld has not given any further information on when its 127 theatres in the UK could reopen, with chief executive Mooky Greidinger saying: "We did everything in our power to support safe and sustainable reopenings in all of our markets.”
Many cinemas hoped No Time To Die would lure film lovers back to theatres in November, after it was initially postponed in March by seven months. Now, the film producers revealed on Friday that the Bond film has now been delayed a second time until April 2021, leaving the future of the industry looking uncertain.