Ridgefield”™s nonprofit Prospector Theater is reopening on May 27 after temporarily shutting down on April 5 due to a lack of new films in release.
The cinema kicks off the summer movie season with “A Quiet Place II,” a sequel to the 2018 horror-thriller, and “Cruella,” a reboot of the Disney franchise focused on the villainess of the “101 Dalmatians” adventure. The theater is now offering advanced ticket sales.
The theater was shut down in March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic took root, but reopened three months later with limited capacity seating. In temporarily closing last month, theater founder Valerie Jensen stated the venue had problems that went beyond the pandemic”™s disruptions.
“The movie theater industry is in crisis,” Jensen said. “Our largest trade organization, The National Association of Theater Owners, has warned that 75% of independent movie theaters will be insolvent within the next month.”
The Prospector also cancelled plans to open a second venue in Wilton, citing the twin challenges of the pandemic-era economy and the threat by streaming services to cinema exhibition.
