After two months of speculation around what would happen to the deserted Greater Union Wollongong site on Burelli Street, movie buffs can rejoice with a reopening date set.
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The triple-theatre complex will continue where it left off, serving cinematic goodies to the public, from this Thursday, December 10 - although only opening Thursday to Sunday at this stage.
On Monday, a spokesman said the Wollongong team was excited to reopen with a selection including huge Australian films, a DC Comics superhero blockbuster, and treasured festive favourites.
"There will also be a selection of retro Christmas movie events with beloved ... classics like Love Actually, Die Hard, Elf and Home Alone coming back to the big screen from December 10 until December 23, with all tickets priced at $10," he said.
Parent company Event closed the site in October due to "lack of film content being released globally by Hollywood studios and slow trading impacted by COVID-19".
It follows NSW easing pandemic restrictions across the state on Monday, which includes increasing capacity at cinemas and theatres.
As of this week, all venues and shops (except nightclubs and gyms) may have one patron per two-square-metres - up from the four-square-metre rule.
This means cinemas will be able to hold up to 75 per cent of their capacity, or 1000 people, while outdoor cinemas and theatre may fill their seats to 100 per cent capacity.
WHAT'S ON AT GREATER UNION:
Aussie Films
- December 10 - The Furnace: To escape a harsh existence and return home, a young Afghan cameleer partners with a mysterious bushman on the run with two 400oz Crown-marked gold bars. Together the unlikely pair must outwit a zealous police sergeant in a race to reach a secret furnace-the one place where they can safely reset the bars to remove the mark of the Crown.
- Advance Screenings December 18-20 (in cinemas January 1) - The Dry: An Australian Blockbuster adapted from Jane Harper's award-winning novel and starring Eric Bana, The Dry tells the story of a cop who returns to his hometown to face the demons of his past after his childhood friend dies in a gruesome murder-suicide.
- January 21 - Penguin Bloom: Based on the book Bradley Trevor Greive, the movie follows the story of a family who find hope and solace in an injured Magpie chick while struggling to adjust to the wife's paralysis following an accident whilst on an overseas holiday with her family. Starring Naomi Watts, Andrew Lincoln and Jacki Weaver.
- January 28 - High Ground: In a bid to save the last of his family, Gutjuk, a young Aboriginal man, teams up with ex-soldier Travis to track down Baywara, the most dangerous warrior in the Territory, his uncle. Starring Simon Baker, Jacob Junior Nayinggul and Callan Mulvey.
Everything else
- December 3 - The War with Grandpa: A family friendly comedy starring Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman and Rob Riggle that see's Peter and his Grandpa face off when Grandpa Jack moves in with the family and Peter is forced to give up his most prized possession: his bedroom. Peter will stop at nothing to get his room back, scheming with friends to devise a series of pranks to drive him out. However, grandpa doesn't give up easily, and it turns into an all-out war between the two.
- December 3 - A Gift from Bob: A struggling street musician finds himself the target of an animal welfare investigation that threatens to take away his beloved cat at Christmas.
- Advance Screening December 13 (in cinemas January 7) - Promising Young Woman: A dark comedy about a young woman who, traumatised by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who cross her path. Written and directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham and Laverne Cox.
- BOXING DAY December 26 - Wonder Woman 1984: Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman's next big screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah, a villainess who possesses superhuman strength and agility.
- BOXING DAY December 26 - The Croods: A New Age: The next chapter in the story of The Croods, the prehistoric family who are now being challenged by a rival family the Bettermans, who claim to be better and more evolved, starring the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone.
- January 1 - Dragon Rider: An animated fantasy that follows the story of a young silver dragon teams up with a mountain spirit and an orphaned boy on a journey through the Himalayas in search for the Rim of Heaven.
- January 1 - Monster Hunter: When Lt. Artemis and her loyal soldiers are transported to a new world, they engage in a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers. The action-packed film is based on the best-selling video game.