Theater Chain's Bold Plan to Stay Solvent, Keep Parents Sane

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text: Ajit Pai
@AjitPaiFCC
A theater chain "has come up with a compromise that could help keep them solvent while keeping mom and dad sane: It will rent out an entire screen showing a feature presentation for prices starting at $99." @Spencerjakab in @WSJ:
Theater Chain’s Bold Plan to Stay Solvent, Keep Parents Sane
AMC has come up with a compromise that could help keep it solvent while keeping mom and dad sane: It will rent out an entire screen showing a feature presentation for prices starting at $99.
wsj.com

https://www.wsj.com/articles/theater-chains-bold-plan-to-stay-solvent-keep-parents-sane-11602769491

How desperate are movie theaters these days? About as desperate as families are for a safe night out.

AMC Theatres has come up with a compromise that could help keep them solvent while keeping mom and dad sane: It will rent out an entire screen showing a feature presentation for prices starting at $99. While recent releases such as “Tenet” cost a bit more, fans can avoid fears of Covid-19 infection while watching classics such as “Shrek,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

The normally lucrative Christmas movie season is turning into a real-life nightmare for theater chains as one blockbuster after another is pushed into next year. With even fresh fare attracting few customers, the economics of renting out a venue for a flat price make sense. The average price of a U.S. movie ticket was $9.11 last year, making the flat fee the equivalent of filling 11 seats for a second run film or at least 16 seats for a new release.

For a couple with two small children out on a date night, seeing a movie would have cost around $76 pre-pandemic including tickets and a babysitter. Letting the children roam the aisle without worrying about annoying other viewers is a good alternative, and sharing the venue with extended family or trusted friends would make it a bargain.

*snip*

[happybird]

1. Cool idea!

Just checked out the specifics and the prices are decent. I’m thinking it would make a nice, safe outing for our little work crew of 10. It would be great to see something, anything, besides our own houses and work building! Maybe for our Christmas party??

Thanks for sharing!

[Wounded Bear]

2. Entertainment in general has been changed...

possibly forever.

[Nevilledog]

3. I'm sad....we have this really neat theater nearby.

Comfy, big leather recliners. Pick your seats ahead of time. Beer & wine bar.

*sigh*

[demigoddess]

4. about time some business started to improvise!!!

I wouldn't mine a deal like that!