Regal Theatres website works to keep movie fans informed

Above : “Star Wars: Rogue Squadron” is expected to be released in late 2023. (Photo: Lucasfilm)

Theaters remain closed, in Washington at least. And for some exhibitor chains, that closure extends across the country.

Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic is causing a complete shakeup in the movie industry.

But that hasn’t stopped some chains from at least attempting to keep their prospective audiences interested – and entertained.

An example is Regal Theatres , which according to its website is “a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group, operates one of the largest and most geographically diverse theatre circuits in the United States, consisting of 7,211 screens in 549 theatres in 42 states along with American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam and Saipan as of October 28, 2019.”

Three of those properties in this part of the Inland Northwest are located at Northtown Mall , the Spokane Valley Mall and Coeur d’Alene’s Riverstone Stadium .

All three are closed (even in, gasp, Idaho), but the company is still offering movie news, gossip and other kinds of updates through its website – especially its blog.

Example: Its post about Patty Jenkins becoming the first woman to direct a “Star Wars” movie (“Rogue Squadron,” which feature a young Luke Skywalker joining the so-called Red Squadron before the Battle of Yavin). Expect to see the film in late 2023.

Patrons of Disney+ can stream as much “Star Wars” material as they want. That and the information they can glean from sites such as Regal is offering should keep movie fans going until the theaters reopen and we can again begin seeing new releases on big screens.

Whenever, the Force be willing, that happens.