Movie Theaters Offer Larger Screens, Heated Seats and Sushi to Lure Fans Back
It’s been more than three years since the pandemic took a toll on movie theaters, curtailing new film showings and alienating audiences. Operators hope that this summer’s slew of wide releases will finally bring people accustomed to streaming movies at home back to cinemas.
When they return again in The Little Mermaid or Barbie, or the latest in the Spider-Man and Indiana Jones franchises, moviegoers may find the spaces look and feel different.
Movie theaters were already upgrading even before the pandemic, introducing more cushioned seats, bigger screens, better sound equipment and better food and drink options.
But many theaters are also entering 2020 narrowly, and may have survived only thanks to federal pandemic relief programs. Today, movie theaters are spending millions of dollars to beef up their offerings and go beyond what movie-watching used to be.
“It’s an emergency right now,” said Mike Polidoros, president of movie marketing agency Paper Airplane Media.
The theater is equipped with fully reclining heated lounge chairs, as well as lounge chairs with built-in trays and buttons for summoning waiters.some seats Moves in sync with movie action or provide Special effects Air blasts in windy scenes, tricks once common only in amusement parks, and more. Some auditoriums have screens on the sides as well as the front. Menu options have been refined further. Sushi, anyone? You can wash it down with IPA
The theater also offers another thrill. In a building outside Fort Worth, we erected piers 22 feet above the arcade floor. Take a walk if you dare. Another location in Dobbs Ferry, New York, has a kitchen and lobby bar with TV screens so customers can, for example, watch the game finish before it starts.
Emma Boonshoft, 30, a public relations consultant, said she hadn’t been to the movies with her husband since before the pandemic.but they tried Dobbs Ferry VenuePart of the Look Dine-In Cinemas chain, after opening, we shared a pizza and salad before “80 for Brady.”
“It was like a real date night,” she said.
Naturally, the prices for such tours are now more expensive. It’s not just that snacks are getting more expensive. Some theaters charge an additional 65% for movies shown on the newest screens such as ScreenX and RealD 3D.
This upgrade is part of our effort to make up for lost time. Domestic box office revenues so far this year are still below pre-pandemic levels. And experts say it could take years for the movie theater industry to recover from the losses caused by the pandemic, which could hamper operators’ ability to make investments to remain competitive. there is
“There’s a lot of optimism in the industry right now, but what happened a few years ago? should also be taken into account,” he said. “So we have to keep innovating.”
Streaming had its challenges before the pandemic, but as theater owners were forced to close or limit capacity, Hollywood studios began releasing movies to streaming services and theaters simultaneously, or avoiding theaters altogether. began to Movie theaters, also known as box office companies, lost 80% of domestic box office revenue in 2020, according to comScore, which compiles movie viewing data.
Many exhibitors have renegotiated their rental agreements during the pandemic, using funds from the federal Closed Venues Operator Grants Program to pay their rent.
Some theaters couldn’t show it. About 5,000 remain in the United States, 5,869 in 2019, according to a theater industry group. Screen count decreased from 41,172 to 39,007. Even drive-ins, which have made a comeback during the pandemic, have seen a decline in numbers due to concerns over the safety of indoor venues.
With a new emphasis on quality over quantity, new theaters are shrinking and have fewer screens, industry experts say. Because lounge chairs take up more space than upright seats, fewer patrons can be accommodated in the auditorium.
“They’re not building 24-screen theaters anymore,” said James O’Neill, executive director of commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield.
EVO Entertainment states:cinema entertainment center‘ he looked back 14-screen theater in Southlake, Texas, restaurants, a rock climbing wall, a ropes course, bowling, bumper cars, and an eight-screen venue complete with the aforementioned pier. At more than $10 million, the cost is about the same as building the complex from scratch, said company chief executive Mitch Roberts.
“I can’t do the bare minimum anymore,” he added.
Such a lavish event may be difficult to achieve in a dense urban setting.but Movie theaters around the world are upgrading their technologyfrom ticketing projection system.
“It’s an arms race,” said Paul Dargarabedian, senior media analyst at comScore.
Many carriers are installing premium large screens, including IMAX systems with giant, curved screens. screen xwhich projects the film on the front and sides.
Screenings on these screens often sell out first, increasing their share of the box office. Screen generated about 9.2% of domestic revenue in 2019 and is expected to bring in nearly 17% of revenue this year, according to comScore.
At select Marcus Theater locations, auditoriums are equipped with large screens and heated recliners. The company also sells blankets that are very comfortable.
Average ticket prices rose from $9.16 in 2019 to $10.53 last year, according to the Cinema Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the National Association of Theater Owners. For movies in auditoriums with extra-large screens and 3D, that price can jump to $20 or more.and customers seem willing to pay You can watch blockbusters at their best.
Theater chains are also experimenting with pricing premiums for the best seats in theaters and featured movies on opening weekends.
Some operators continue to focus on food and beverage offerings, including upgraded reward items that moviegoers can pre-order, and restaurant operations that deploy servers according to patrons’ requests.
New Menu: Bowls and Salads. Theater in Cinepolis We can now offer nachos with real or vegan cheese. Dine In brews its own beer Beer A theater bartender in Chandler, Arizona Make a movie-themed cocktail.
Food and alcohol sales generate higher profits than ticket sales, a large portion of which is donated to the studio. “That’s why so many theaters are adding bars,” says Mark Hunter, managing director of commercial real estate services firm CBRE.
Entertainment companies are taking investment cues from loyalty program data, said Jackie Brenneman, chairman of the Film Foundation.
Despite the upgrades, many businesses are still struggling financially and some chains are shrinking stores. AMC Entertainment, America’s biggest circuit, is in debt. And the investment in technology is expensive, with an IMAX system costing about $1 million, excluding installation costs. A wall between two small screening rooms may need to be demolished to create a large enough space, said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond.
Some theaters receive help with renovation costs from landlords and developers who hope the foot traffic from successful theaters will help nearby retailers. Box office hits like the “Super Mario Bros. movie” could make it easier for theaters to borrow to improve their capital, industry experts say.
Brock Bagby, executive vice president and chief content development officer at B&B Theaters, said banks are starting to feel a little more comfortable.
Exhibitors are also looking to make more use of their properties.Some people are showing concert TV programs or Host a trivia night and video game tournaments. The B&B rents out one of his auditoriums at a theater in Wesley Chapel, a suburb of Tampa, Florida. spin studio and another live comedy club.
New tricks aside, however, popular movies will ultimately draw in audiences, and the company hopes the Mario Bros. increased by 11.5% compared to the three-year pre-pandemic average. David A. Gross, who runs film consultancy Franchise Entertainment Research, said:
“This was a milestone. The first month after the pandemic was better than before the pandemic,” he said.
