Businesses are scrambling to deal with the outbreak of the COVID-19 and many are updating customers as to how they’re exactly dealing with the situation. AMC sent out an email to those subscribed to their email list with their updates.

While the update featured the standard increases in cleaning and a greater focus on ill employees that many are taking, the email also announced a drastic cut in capacity for seating.

From the email:

To give you more empty space around you within our theatres, we are capping ticket availability to 50% of the normal seating capacity for every showtime in every auditorium at all AMC theatres nationwide. Once we hit 50% of an auditorium’s capacity, movie screenings will show as being Sold Out, even though by definition there will be a large number of unfilled seats. This will begin Saturday, March 14, and for now, will continue until April 30.

For those AMC auditoriums with more than 500 seats, we will further reduce bookings to a maximum of 250 people in any case.

That’s a massive reduction in seating and potential tickets being sold. Its impact on movie releases are unknown and numerous studios have shifted releases from their original release date. There’s a good chance more movies will shift opening dates due to this policy as well.

Expect a very rocky year for entertainment as a whole. Production is being shut down for films and television shows and now studios will be contending with a diminished capacity for release as well as customers with the unease of leaving their home if they’re even allowed. The ripple effects will be felt for months if not years to come.