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In response to an avalanche of postponed major films, Cineworld Group, parent company of Regal Cinemas, announced it will suspend operations at all U.S. locations after having reopened in August. This decision will close four Austin locations.
Suspending theater operations will close over 500 U.S. locations and 128 U.K. locations, including four Austin locations: Regal Westgate, Regal Arbor at Great Hills, Regal Metropolitan and Regal at Gateway Shopping Centers.
The decision came after MGM Studios announced Friday that it would postpone the new James Bond film, "No Time to Die," for the second time. The film was originally scheduled to debut last April and has been postponed from this November to April 2021.
Regal theaters were counting on new releases to stimulate ticket sales and make up for losses sustained due to COVID-19. In the first half of 2020, Cineworld, the second largest global movie theater operator, has reported a loss of $1.6 billion.
"No Time to Die" is not the only movie to delay its release—"Wonder Woman 1984" delayed release from October to Christmas day in the wake of theaters being slow to reopen. Other movies, like the live-action remake of "Mulan," were originally scheduled for release in theaters but opted instead for a release on Disney+ for a $30 premium.
The company said that they are unsure of when they will reopen.
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Popular
Giga Texas grabbed attention during Tesla's Q4 earnings call. The Austin factory is seen as pivotal to the company's growth going forward. (Tesla)
Phase 1 of Giga Texas appears to be tied up as production of the Model Y Tesla is underway, the electric car company revealed on Wednesday in its fourth-quarter earnings call. The factory, located on the former Harold Green-turned Tesla Road, sits on more than 2,000 acres of land in southeast Travis County.
Here's a glimpse inside the factory.
(Tesla)
Model Ys will be the first Teslas to come out of Giga Texas with an estimated delivery of August. The wait estimate comes after Tesla noted supply chain issues have affected their factories, which have been running below capacity for several quarters. A deep blue metallic like this goes for $1,000 more than a white or silver Model Y, totaling $61,990.
Model Ys began being produced at Giga Texas at the end of 2020. In general assembly at the factory, the Teslas get their major interior components to finish the vehicle.
(Tesla)
Workers at Austin's Gigafactory are attaching seats to a structural battery pack. It's been described by some as the biggest difference between Texas-made Model Y's and the current version at the Fremont, California factory. It shouldn't have a major impact on the owner's experience, but Tesla has updated instructions for the jacking procedure, as the lift points are different.
With a sleek, open office setup, workers can take in a view of the factory from their seats. It's a component CEO Elon Musk wanted for what is now the headquarters of Tesla.
With Snapchat's maps, anyone can look at everyday activity happening at the factory. To view these geographically-linked stories, click the bottom left "map" icon and search "Tesla Giga Texas." Once you've found it, you can view the Snapchat story of those in and around the facility. While most stories stay up for only 24 hours, Giga Texas is a designated place on Snapchat, allowing users to view a collection of photos and videos from the inside.
Following Model Ys, Texas-made Teslas will include the Cybertruck, Semi and Model 3. But it might be a while before those other models arrive. EV makers have been hit hard by the chip shortage, and it's thought that changing features are contributing to Cybertruck delays as Tesla works to compete in the electric pickup market.
Joe Rogan paid a visit to buddy Elon Musk this week. The two have been seen around town since both moving to Texas. Naturally, Rogan was impressed with the prototype.
If you're dying to get a closer look at this factory, you just might get to. In December, Musk said the factory would have tours available to the community early this year.
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