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You’re going to see ads right before the movie at AMC Theatres from next month.
The cinema chain is adding a “platinum spot” in between the trailers and the film from July 1.
The move is part of an agreement with National CineMedia that will give AMC a slice of the revenue from these ads, which the company describes as “vital” to its post-pandemic recovery.
Rivals including Regal and Cinemark have been playing pre-show ads since 2019. AMC had held out over fears of alienating movie fans.
AMC said in a statement that its competitors had not suffered “any direct impact to their attendance. This is a strong indication that this NCM pre-show initiative does not negatively influence moviegoing habits.”
AMC said last month it would start offering 50% off tickets on Wednesdays for members of its loyalty scheme in a bid to boost midweek attendance, alongside an improved selection of food and beverages.
Revenues fell 9% to $862 million in the first quarter for AMC, while attendance at US theaters fell 11%.
Total US box office takings stood at nearly $3.4 billion by the end of May, per Comscore data — 26% higher than the same period last year.
A $4.2 billion haul is being forecast by the data provider for period from the first weekend in May to the Labor Day weekend in early September, Screen Daily reported. That could beat 2023’s “Barbenheimer” summer when ticket sales reached almost $4.1 billion.
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