The surge of coronavirus cases in Italy is taking its toll on theatrical box office returns which plunged this weekend by more than 75% compared to the same frame a year ago.
With nearly half of the country’s screens shuttered, the Feb. 28-March 1 weekend’s total intake was a measly roughly €2 million ($2.2 million), according to box office compiler Cinetel.
Italian box office during the previous weekend, when the virus crisis had already struck – but with a bit less alarm – had sunk to €5.5 million compared with more than €12 million during the same period in 2019.
As of Monday, over 1,600 cases of the virus have been confirmed and 34 people have died, making Italy the country with the world’s third-biggest outbreak after China and South
Read more on variety.com