Attention, movie lovers! If you’ve been to an AMC theater lately and felt frustrated with the long wait-times filled with trailers and ads, here’s some good news.
Last month, AMC made a deal that introduced even more advertisements before movie screenings, leaving fans outraged. To add insult to injury, they also put out a disclaimer on their website notifying attendees that shows would commence an additional 25 to 30 minutes later than advertised.
However, it appears AMC may be pulling back from this controversial approach.
Deadline reported that AMC is currently exploring ways to cut down its pre-show time, although specific updates on what the changes will entail are still unclear.
The Independent reached out to AMC for more details.
This change of heart comes just weeks after AMC cemented a partnership with National CineMedia, which added even more in-theater ads waiting for viewers in the ‘platinum spot,’ right before the movie kicks off. Shortly after this decision, AMC confirmed the new prolonged start times on its platform.
However, major studio executives grew increasingly upset, noting that with all the added advertising, AMC’s own branded pre-show was only worsening the delays, prompting moviegoers to skip the trailers altogether.
Users took to social media platform X to express their frustration, suggesting they’d start arriving at theaters half an hour later than scheduled, with one user saying, “They want me to pay……to sit……and watch 30 minutes of advertisements?”
Another user lamented, “Let me just see the damn movie. Why all the commercials?” while a third highlighted the flaw in AMC’s scheduling, stating, “If they start at ‘showtime’ then they’re not PREviews. Here’s a thought… instead of announcing that movies tend to start late, how about making the actual movie start coincide with the advertised ‘showtime’? Sigh…”
The deal with National CineMedia was initially intended to provide AMC with a significant boost in advertising revenues, especially concerning their steepest quarterly earnings slump since 1996, not including the pandemic low.
AMC has shuttered 169 theaters since 2019 to tighten financial belts, yet CEO Adam Aron remains hopeful. He described the recent downturn as an “anomaly” while pointing out a surge in the summer box office returns.
Despite 2024 ticket sales dropping to $8.7 billion—a 3.3% dip from last year and a staggering 23.5% from pre-pandemic figures of $11.3 billion in 2019—the summer ticket sales show signs of recovery.
In conclusion, The Independent remains committed to bringing you news from around the globe, encouraging informed conversations and recognizing the independent voices in the media landscape. As always, understanding cinema’s changing dynamics across theaters remains crucial in today’s environment.
