CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The COVID curtain is about to rise on movie theaters in the Chicago area.
AMC Entertainment announced that it will reopen 42 movie theaters across Illinois by the end of the month, with some reopening Friday.
The move comes after state health officials announced most Illinois regions could leave Tier 3 COVID-19 mitigations, allowing for entertainment venues and cultural institutions, like theaters and museums to reopen.
AMC said its theaters will reopen under enhanced health and safety procedures, which includes a 25 percent capacity limit, a mask requirement, and social distancing.
Six AMC theaters will reopen throughout the state this Friday, including:
• AMC Market Square 10
• AMC CLASSIC Morris 10
• AMC CLASSIC Peru Mall 8
• AMC Streets of Woodfield 20
• AMC Crestwood 18
• AMC Rockford 16
On Jan. 29, 35 additional AMC locations will reopen. They include:
• AMC DINE-IN 600 North Michigan 9
• AMC DINE-IN Block 37
• AMC Chicago Ridge 6
• AMC Cicero 14
• AMC Ford City 14
• AMC Galewood Crossing 14
• AMC Hawthorn 12
• AMC Lake In The Hills 12
•AMC Machesney Park 14
• AMC Niles 12
• AMC Norridge 6
• AMC DINE-IN Northbrook Court 14
• AMC Oakbrook Center 12
• AMC Oakbrook Center 4
• AMC Quarry 14
• AMC Randhurst 12
• AMC River East 21
• AMC DINE-IN Rosemont 12
• AMC CLASSIC Sauk Valley 8
• AMC South Barrington 24
• AMC Village Crossing 18
• AMC DINE-IN Yorktown 18
Related
AMC said guests are still able to book Private Theatre Rentals for a personal film showing for up to 20 people through amctheatres.com/rentals or through the app. To book, guests need to request a movie, time and date, then confirm and checkout.
Many movie venues have been closed since November due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.
One pop-up drive-in theater in Pilsen continues to draw crowds. The theater said they will continue to show movies outdoors through February.