that history gives kevin corbett reason for optimism. >> given theact that theaters now have survived of threats for you coulliterally say 120 years now because turn of the 20th century is when appeared, i don't e thisrst pandemic, this particular threat, ending movie theaters. i'm convinced people have always and will always want to be out and entertaid in groups. that, alone, i think, will allow theaters to continueo exist. >> reporter: maybe so. for now, the superheroes, animated adventurers, and tom cruise's "top gun" sequel all await their return to the big screen. for the pbs newshour, i'm jeffrey brown. on the newshour onightait. now, many in the u.s. are usthout a roadmap for how to assess coronavisks as parts of public life, like going to the movie theaterme. we asked public health experts about ways to get out of the house while limiting the chancei ection. you'll find a helpful chart on our web site, pbs.org/newshour. and that's the newshour for i'm judy woodruff. join us on-line and again here tomorrow eveng. for all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you, please stay safe a

and there's a lesson there for us now, says theater historian kevin corbett of central michigan universityways, the history of movie theaters is actually a history of those theaters having to respond to threats. we can go back to at least as far as the 1930s and the great depression, when fewer and fewer >> reporter: one way to bring them in?pc n! the concession stand, it turns out, was a major innovation for s time. just as more recently, many theaters have added plush,at vig seats and concierge service, making themselves entertainment destinations in response to the threat from the comfort-of-hewing offered that history gives corbett reason for optimism. at>> given the fact that ts now have survived a variety of threatfor you could literally say 120 years now because turn of the 20th century is when actual movie theateds first appei don't foresee this pandemic, this particularov threat, ending theaters. i'm convinced people have always and will always want to be out and entertained in groups. that, alone, i think, will allow thears to continue to exist. >> reporter: maybe so. for now, th