Schwarzenegger, Abrams make pitch for movie theater return

Arnold Schwarzenegger chanted with enthusiasm, “We are back

LOS ANGELES -- Arnold Schwarzenegger chanted with enthusiasm, “We are back! We are back!” before he spoke Wednesday about the importance of resurrecting the theatrical experience for moviegoers. “Now it’s time to get back to the big screen,” Schwarzenegger told a socially distanced audience at AMC Century City 15 theater in Los Angeles. The actor and former California governor was joined by filmmakers and major Hollywood studio executives as part of the “Big Screen is Back” initiative. Other speakers included J.J. Abrams, Maggie Q, Sam Richardson, Janicza Bravo and David Bruckner. “If you have the movie and you don’t have the theaters, you don’t have nothing," Schwarzenegger said. “Yes, we’ve seen over the past year in the pandemic, that people watch movies on their little iPhone and iPad and put on their glasses to see what’s going on there. They are missing special and visual effects and all the great stuff you usually see on the big screen.”