Friday, 20 Mar 2020 09:17 AM MYT
LOS ANGELES, March 20 ― Movie studios Walt Disney and Universal Pictures said yesterday they were suspending the release of box office data because of the closure of movie theaters in multiple countries in a bid to contain the coronavirus. “Given the current large number of theatre shutdowns around the globe, Disney will suspend global weekend reporting for the time being. Wishing you and your families the best during these testing times and please be safe,” Disney said in a statement.Movie studios typically release box office receipts from movie theatres around the world that measure the popularity of their films with the public.
Movie theatres in China, Hollywood's biggest overseas market, have been shuttered for weeks because of the virus.