Drive-in is back and just the ticket for movie fans
It could still be a long wait until we see cinemas re-open but one social distancing-friendly option is set to return for Adelaide’s movie lovers.
SA News
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Movies will return to the big, big screen Friday when Mainline Drive-In reopens its gates at Gepps Cross.
Some cinema chains also plan to open again in time for the June long weekend, or before school holidays in July.
Three generations of the Wallis family that owns the drive-in – Lorna, 81, Michelle, 50, and Deanna, 25 – will tonight celebrate its return.
“It was a great achievement of my father-in-law’s back in those days,” Lorna Wallis said of the drive-in, opened in 1955.
“People have got so sick of being inside … I think they’ll be glad to get out.”
Wallis Cinemas director Jim Filipovic said drive-in screenings would resume each Friday and Saturday from today, expanding to include Sunday on the long weekend.
“Over the next couple of days, we will probably make a decision whether we want to increase those nights, whether there’s the demand,” he said. Palace-Nova state manager Karen Karpinski said it would issue a statement about plans for its Eastend and Prospect cinemas later tomorrow.
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“Palace cinemas nationally are going out on July 2, in time for school holidays in Victoria … we are definitely going earlier, next week,” she said.
“We’ve got great news for everyone.”
Mr Filipovic said the next major films still scheduled for release were Christopher Nolan’s Tenet on July 16 and Disney’s live-action Mulan on July 23.
“We’ve got a number of dates that we are working towards,” Mr Filipovic said.
“I think we will probably see some kind of (cinema) opening in late June/first week of July.”
The Mainline Drive-In can hold 800 cars but capacity will be limited to about 350 vehicles. Cost is $25 a car, with a maximum of five occupants.
Drive-in tickets online at wallis.com.au