AMC Theatres Plans to Cut Down Preshow After Studios Complain
After facing complaints from major movie studios, AMC Theatres is now planning to shorten its preshow before films. Sources say that while details are still being worked out, there is hope this change will happen by the end of the year.
The controversy started when AMC made a deal with National CineMedia Inc. to add more ads during the preshow, beginning July 1. Unlike AMC, its competitors Regal and Cinemark had already been showing ads before movies, and AMC decided to join in after seeing that their rivals didn’t lose business.
However, studio executives were upset because the longer preshows meant fewer moviegoers stayed to watch trailers for upcoming films. Trailers are a key marketing tool for studios since they encourage audiences to return to theaters.
The frustration grew when AMC added a warning on its ticket site saying, “Please allow 25-30 extra minutes for trailers and additional content before the movie starts.” Some studio insiders interpreted this as AMC telling customers it was okay to skip the preshow entirely.
In June, studios conducted their own research and found that preshows at the top three theater chains lasted between 24 to 28 minutes before a major movie release in Southern California. One study showed that only 80% of the audience was seated and watching trailers just four minutes before the movie began.
This issue highlights challenges in today’s moviegoing experience. Studios aren’t entirely blameless, as they continue to add more trailers and marketing spots to preshows. Meanwhile, reserved seating lets many moviegoers arrive right before the movie starts, making long preshows less effective.
AMC has not commented publicly on these developments, but insiders suggest that a shorter preshow is likely coming soon as the company tries to find a balance between earning ad revenue and keeping studios and movie fans happy.
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