The biggest movie theater chains in the U.S. and Canada plan to invest more than $2.2 billion to upgrade more than 21,000 screens. The investment includes upgrading sound, projection and dining experiences — plus pickleball and ziplines.
The biggest movie theater chains in the U.S. and Canada plan to invest more than $2.2 billion to upgrade more than 21,000 screens. The investment includes upgrading sound, projection and dining experiences — plus pickleball and ziplines.
“The theater chains that reported their investment goals to [NATO](https://variety.com/t/nato/) are AMC Entertainment Inc., Regal Cinemas, Cinemark USA, Inc., Cineplex, Marcus Theatres Corp., B&B Theatres, Harkins Theatres and Santikos Entertainment.”
chichris on
I’d be happy with better projection, sound and lighting. Especially in premium theaters.
nkleszcz on
Ziplines?!?
RickSanchez_C137 on
Support your local independent cinema
thegreatmango on
Oh, I don’t go to the theater because it’s too expensive and annoying. Will this make it cheaper and easier to palate?
I’m being facetious. I know it will not, and as such, the investment is entirely lost on me.
RevolutionaryCarry57 on
Clean theaters, comfortable recliners, premium A/V, and a variety of actual food options are exactly what I want. I honestly wouldn’t mind the $15-$20 ticket prices if it meant I were receiving a premium experience.
The pickleball and ziplines sound silly though, don’t know who goes to the movies to play pickleball lol.
MikeDubbz on
With blackjack and hookers!
lobabobloblaw on
Aww, they want to build *entire adult playgrounds* now that the ball pit is too boring.
BigMacCombo on
They should invest in a system that makes it easier to report cunts who talk or go on their phone
TheDeepStateDirector on
It will still be worse than my living room.
donkeybrisket on
Adapting is the ONLY way the theatrical experience survives. Exhibitors need to give consumers a reason to get off their asses and into the theater. Sticky floors and popcorn just don’t cut it anymore.
16bitrifle on
Someone explain to me the sudden popularity of pickleball. I’m not trashing it, but it seems to have blown up overnight.
UnicornHarrison on
The upgrades they put in won’t mean anything if the experience is garbage. Most of the theaters near me run on skeleton crews, and they’re barely able to keep the theater running. I can’t tell you how many times in the past year I’ve tried to get someone to take care of someone being a dumbass in my screenings and absolutely no one came in to take care of it. IMAX 3D with recliners is cool, but not having someone use their phone loudly is a lot better.
I get that it’s mostly B&B that’s investing in those extras and that the upgrades are going towards facilities, but I don’t see the effectiveness or draw if it’s going to be poorly maintained.
>“Consumers today are very demanding and they want to have a range of things that they can do in any given setting,” O’Leary said. In some cases, that means ***adding pickleball courts, ziplines, arcades, bowling alleys and more attractions*** to keep moviegoers busy at theater complexes, in addition to dining and cocktails.
I don’t understand the appeal of putting stuff like pickleball courts and ziplines in these places and trying to force it to be a third place/community center. I come to the movies to watch a movie, not get a workout in.
14 Comments
“The theater chains that reported their investment goals to [NATO](https://variety.com/t/nato/) are AMC Entertainment Inc., Regal Cinemas, Cinemark USA, Inc., Cineplex, Marcus Theatres Corp., B&B Theatres, Harkins Theatres and Santikos Entertainment.”
I’d be happy with better projection, sound and lighting. Especially in premium theaters.
Ziplines?!?
Support your local independent cinema
Oh, I don’t go to the theater because it’s too expensive and annoying. Will this make it cheaper and easier to palate?
I’m being facetious. I know it will not, and as such, the investment is entirely lost on me.
Clean theaters, comfortable recliners, premium A/V, and a variety of actual food options are exactly what I want. I honestly wouldn’t mind the $15-$20 ticket prices if it meant I were receiving a premium experience.
The pickleball and ziplines sound silly though, don’t know who goes to the movies to play pickleball lol.
With blackjack and hookers!
Aww, they want to build *entire adult playgrounds* now that the ball pit is too boring.
They should invest in a system that makes it easier to report cunts who talk or go on their phone
It will still be worse than my living room.
Adapting is the ONLY way the theatrical experience survives. Exhibitors need to give consumers a reason to get off their asses and into the theater. Sticky floors and popcorn just don’t cut it anymore.
Someone explain to me the sudden popularity of pickleball. I’m not trashing it, but it seems to have blown up overnight.
The upgrades they put in won’t mean anything if the experience is garbage. Most of the theaters near me run on skeleton crews, and they’re barely able to keep the theater running. I can’t tell you how many times in the past year I’ve tried to get someone to take care of someone being a dumbass in my screenings and absolutely no one came in to take care of it. IMAX 3D with recliners is cool, but not having someone use their phone loudly is a lot better.
I get that it’s mostly B&B that’s investing in those extras and that the upgrades are going towards facilities, but I don’t see the effectiveness or draw if it’s going to be poorly maintained.
>“Consumers today are very demanding and they want to have a range of things that they can do in any given setting,” O’Leary said. In some cases, that means ***adding pickleball courts, ziplines, arcades, bowling alleys and more attractions*** to keep moviegoers busy at theater complexes, in addition to dining and cocktails.
I don’t understand the appeal of putting stuff like pickleball courts and ziplines in these places and trying to force it to be a third place/community center. I come to the movies to watch a movie, not get a workout in.
“You had me at ziplines.”
“That was the last thing I said.”
“Good thing you said it.”