AMC Theaters reverses course on masks after backlash

LOS ANGELES -- The nation's largest movie theater chain changed its position on mask-wearing less than a day after the company became a target on social media for saying it would defer to local governments on the issue.

AMC Theaters CEO Adam Aron said Friday that its theaters will require patrons to wear masks upon reopening, which will begin in mid-July.

"We think it is absolutely crucial that we listen to our guests," Aron said. "It is clear from this response that we did not go far enough on the usage of masks."

AMC Theaters wasn't the first to say it would defer to officials on the mask issue - the Cinemark and Regal chains had already stated similar plans. But it hit a nerve for many on Thursday and #boycottAMC quickly became a trending topic on Twitter.

The outrage was further flamed by one of Aron's comments in an interview with the Hollywood trade Variety that implied that taking a hard stance on mask-wearing was a political matter.

"We did not want to be drawn into a political controversy," Aron said. "We thought it might be counterproductive if we forced mask-wearing on those people who believe strongly that it is not necessary."

American Airlines has temporarily banned from its planes Brandon Straka, an activist who refused to wear a face mask on a recent flight, the first reported banning of a passenger who refused to comply with an airline's face mask rules.

He also said that he thought the "vast majority of AMC guests will be wearing masks" and that he planned to lead by example and would be wearing a mask himself.

The interview came on the same day that California started requiring people throughout the state to wear masks in most indoor settings and outdoors when distancing isn't possible.

Earlier Friday, Alamo Drafthouse, which operates around 40 locations in the U.S. said that it would be requiring that guests wear masks at its theaters, with a caveat for eating and drinking. Those without masks, it said, would be given one. AMC plans to sell masks for $1.

Most indoor U.S. theaters have been closed since mid-March because of COVID-19.

AMC plans to open 450 of its U.S. locations on July 15, with the goal of having most of its theaters in operation by July 24 for the opening of Disney's "Mulan" and Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" the following week.