Latest news with #AMCStubs
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
AMC is introducing huge Wednesday ticket discounts. Will it increase attendance?
As the box office improves, will a steep discount on tickets bring more people to the multiplex this summer? That's what AMC Theatres is betting. The Leawood, Kan.-based chain said this week that members of its AMC Stubs loyalty program, which has a free tier, will get 50% off adult evening-priced movie tickets all day long Wednesdays, starting July 9. The move comes as the studios and theater owners have struggled to bring audiences back to the movies after the COVID-19 pandemic. Box-office revenue improved in fits and starts as the pandemic waned, though the number of films released was greatly affected by the dual writers and actors strikes in 2023. As of this past weekend, domestic ticket sales this year are down about 30% compared with the same time period in 2019, according to Comscore. Even before the pandemic, attendance numbers were declining. But there is some hope on the horizon. Total North American box-office grosses this year are expected to reach about 80% of 2019's totals, with 2026 predicted to reach 86%, said Alicia Reese, senior vice president of equity research for media and entertainment at Wedbush Securities. "The post-pandemic recovery has been pretty bumpy," she said. "That said, the strikes really challenged the box-office volume for a while, but that's now in the rear-view mirror." Theatrical attendance and flexible ticket pricing were frequent topics of conversation at the CinemaCon trade conference earlier this year in Las Vegas, where studio executives and exhibitors alike mused about how to bring audiences back to theaters. A more diverse lineup of films would help, some said. Others, like Paramount domestic distribution president Chris Aronson, argued that an improved experience in the theaters, including fewer ads, limited trailers, extended matinee pricing or daily deals could lure customers back. He highlighted the "Discount Tuesday" promotion available at many theaters. "Why not 'Discount Wednesdays'? Unless, of course, you're already at full capacity on Wednesday, in which case, don't do it," he said during his on-stage presentation, to laughter from the audience of theater owners and industry executives. That's now exactly what's happening at AMC, as theater operators consider ways to improve traffic on less-attended weekdays. In explaining the decision, AMC Chief Executive Adam Aron touted the improved box-office results in the fiscal second quarter. Just a few months ago, the industry was collectively wringing its hands over the poor performance in the first quarter, including underwhelming showings from films such as Disney's troubled live-action "Snow White" and a general lack of blockbusters. The bleak first quarter at the box office took a toll on AMC's earnings, which the chain reported last week. The company reported revenue of $862.5 million, down 9.3% from the $951.4 million it logged during the first quarter of 2024. Net loss for the first quarter was $202.1 million, compared with a loss of $163.5 million during the previous year. AMC also reported lower attendance for the first quarter with 41,903 admissions, a decrease of 10.1% from the same time period a year ago. Aron cautioned in a statement at the time that the first-quarter domestic box office was "a distorting anomaly" and that anyone trying to draw conclusions about the movie theater business from those results was "likely to be mistaken." So far this spring, films like Warner Bros. Pictures' "A Minecraft Movie" and Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" have jolted the box office back to life. And with several new movies on the horizon, including Disney's live-action "Lilo & Stitch" and the Tom Cruise-led "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning," analysts and theaters feel optimistic about the potential box office trajectory. As of last weekend, the year's box-office grosses are up 16% compared with the same time period last year, according to Comscore. "Realistically, we could not afford to have made this change to our ticket pricing strategy until the box office showed true signs of sustained recovery," Aron said in a statement. "But in April and now in May, the box office has been booming, and the remainder of 2025 appears poised to continue that upward box office trend." Already, Tuesdays have emerged as the biggest non-weekend moviegoing day, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. Adding another lower-priced day to the mix could help drive attendance, increase concession sales and expose audiences to trailers for new films, he said. "When consumers feel like they're getting something more, the loyalty developed there is very important," Dergarabedian said. "Having one of the bigger chains commit to this is a big deal." The initiative will likely be a test to whether it cannibalizes higher-priced attendance on other days, Reese said. "Overall, I think it's a strong strategy with a lot of really good content available over the summer to get people who wouldn't otherwise go to the movies to come back to the movie theater," she said. "Either way, it gets attention, it gets far more people onto their loyalty programs that they can communicate with directly, it opens their eyes to AMC's paid subscription program." Dynamic ticket pricing, similar to hotels and concerts, has long been discussed as a potential attendance booster but hasn't been fully embraced for movies. Nonetheless, AMC has experimented with different kinds of discounts. The company a couple years ago introduced modestly lower-priced tickets for less in-demand front row seats, but later backed away from the idea. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Los Angeles Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
AMC is introducing huge Wednesday ticket discounts. Will it increase attendance?
As the box office improves, will a steep discount on tickets bring more people to the multiplex this summer? That's what AMC Theatres is betting. The Leawood, Kan.-based chain said this week that members of its AMC Stubs loyalty program, which has a free tier, will get 50% off adult evening-priced movie tickets all day long Wednesdays, starting July 9. The move comes as the studios and theater owners have struggled to bring audiences back to the movies after the COVID-19 pandemic. Box-office revenue improved in fits and starts as the pandemic waned, though the number of films released was greatly affected by the dual writers and actors strikes in 2023. As of this past weekend, domestic ticket sales this year are down about 30% compared with the same time period in 2019, according to Comscore. Even before the pandemic, attendance numbers were declining. But there is some hope on the horizon. Total North American box-office grosses this year are expected to reach about 80% of 2019's totals, with 2026 predicted to reach 86%, said Alicia Reese, senior vice president of equity research for media and entertainment at Wedbush Securities. 'The post-pandemic recovery has been pretty bumpy,' she said. 'That said, the strikes really challenged the box-office volume for a while, but that's now in the rear-view mirror.' Theatrical attendance and flexible ticket pricing were frequent topics of conversation at the CinemaCon trade conference earlier this year in Las Vegas, where studio executives and exhibitors alike mused about how to bring audiences back to theaters. A more diverse lineup of films would help, some said. Others, like Paramount domestic distribution president Chris Aronson, argued that an improved experience in the theaters, including fewer ads, limited trailers, extended matinee pricing or daily deals could lure customers back. He highlighted the 'Discount Tuesday' promotion available at many theaters. 'Why not 'Discount Wednesdays'? Unless, of course, you're already at full capacity on Wednesday, in which case, don't do it,' he said during his on-stage presentation, to laughter from the audience of theater owners and industry executives. That's now exactly what's happening at AMC, as theater operators consider ways to improve traffic on less-attended weekdays. In explaining the decision, AMC Chief Executive Adam Aron touted the improved box-office results in the fiscal second quarter. Just a few months ago, the industry was collectively wringing its hands over the poor performance in the first quarter, including underwhelming showings from films such as Disney's troubled live-action 'Snow White' and a general lack of blockbusters. The bleak first quarter at the box office took a toll on AMC's earnings, which the chain reported last week. The company reported revenue of $862.5 million, down 9.3% from the $951.4 million it logged during the first quarter of 2024. Net loss for the first quarter was $202.1 million, compared with a loss of $163.5 million during the previous year. AMC also reported lower attendance for the first quarter with 41,903 admissions, a decrease of 10.1% from the same time period a year ago. Aron cautioned in a statement at the time that the first-quarter domestic box office was 'a distorting anomaly' and that anyone trying to draw conclusions about the movie theater business from those results was 'likely to be mistaken.' So far this spring, films like Warner Bros. Pictures' 'A Minecraft Movie' and Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' have jolted the box office back to life. And with several new movies on the horizon, including Disney's live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' and the Tom Cruise-led 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' analysts and theaters feel optimistic about the potential box office trajectory. As of last weekend, the year's box-office grosses are up 16% compared with the same time period last year, according to Comscore. 'Realistically, we could not afford to have made this change to our ticket pricing strategy until the box office showed true signs of sustained recovery,' Aron said in a statement. 'But in April and now in May, the box office has been booming, and the remainder of 2025 appears poised to continue that upward box office trend.' Already, Tuesdays have emerged as the biggest non-weekend moviegoing day, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. Adding another lower-priced day to the mix could help drive attendance, increase concession sales and expose audiences to trailers for new films, he said. 'When consumers feel like they're getting something more, the loyalty developed there is very important,' Dergarabedian said. 'Having one of the bigger chains commit to this is a big deal.' The initiative will likely be a test to whether it cannibalizes higher-priced attendance on other days, Reese said. 'Overall, I think it's a strong strategy with a lot of really good content available over the summer to get people who wouldn't otherwise go to the movies to come back to the movie theater,' she said. 'Either way, it gets attention, it gets far more people onto their loyalty programs that they can communicate with directly, it opens their eyes to AMC's paid subscription program.' Dynamic ticket pricing, similar to hotels and concerts, has long been discussed as a potential attendance booster but hasn't been fully embraced for movies. Nonetheless, AMC has experimented with different kinds of discounts. The company a few years ago introduced modestly lower-priced tickets for less in-demand front row seats, but later backed away from the idea.
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
AMC to offer half-off movie tickets on Wednesdays this summer. What to know
AMC is rolling out deep discounts for moviegoers this summer. Starting July 9, the theater chain will offer half-off adult movie tickets for AMC Stubs rewards members every Wednesday at AMC Theatres nationwide, the company said in a May 12 news release. The '50% off Wednesdays' discount will be available in addition to the Tuesday ticket discount currently offered to rewards members, AMC said. 'Realistically, we could not afford to have made this change to our ticket pricing strategy until the box office showed true signs of sustained recovery,' AMC CEO Adam Aron said in the release, pointing to 'booming' box office numbers in April and May. According to CNN Business, the theater giant struggled to stay afloat in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and dual Hollywood strikes, prompting several changes, including an overhaul of its in-theater offerings and an investment in concert films. Attendance at AMC's U.S. theaters was down nearly 12% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year, per an earnings report published this month. Building on the success of its 'Discount Tuesdays' program, Aron said the theater chain hopes to turn 'Wednesday into a similarly strong-attendance day for moviegoers.' 'The remainder of 2025 appears poised to continue that upward box office trend,' he said. Moviegoers will pay more for premium formats like IMAX and RealD 3D, but the 50% discount will be applied to the base price for those tickets as well, AMC said. Certain films and holiday times may be excluded, though the chain didn't give specifics. Blockbusters set to hit the silver screen this summer include 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' 'Superman' and Marvel's 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' Rolling Stone reported. Find your nearest AMC Theatre here.
USA Today
13-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
AMC to offer 50% off movie tickets on Wednesdays beginning this summer
AMC to offer 50% off movie tickets on Wednesdays beginning this summer 'It is envisioned that if successful, this new AMC pricing initiative will be almost universally available at all AMC Theatres in the United States going forward,' the movie theater chain said. Show Caption Hide Caption AMC, Regal investing $2.2B to upgrade movie theater experience The eight biggest movie theater chains in the U.S. and Canada — including AMC and Regal — will invest $2.2 billion to make upgrades. Straight Arrow News AMC moviegoers will be able to cash in on a major discount at the theaters every Wednesday starting this summer. The theater chain announced on May 12 that it will be offering 50% off movie tickets every Wednesday starting July 9 for members of AMC Stubs, the company's loyalty program for customers. AMC Stubs is free to join and offers existing rewards and discounts, including reduced rates on Tuesdays. As part of the new 50% off Wednesdays promotion, AMC Stubs members will get half off the base price for adult-evening tickets all day long. The deal will be available at all AMC locations around the country. AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron said in a statement that the company "could not afford to have made this change to our ticket pricing strategy until the box office showed true signs of sustained recovery." "But in April and now in May, the box office has been booming, and the remainder of 2025 appears poised to continue that upward box office trend," Aron added. Box office revenue dipped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic but started to bounce back in 2023 and 2024, according to Statista. How does AMC 50% off Wednesdays work? The half-off discount will begin on Wednesday, July 9, and continue every Wednesday after that, AMC said. The company has not announced an end date for the program, so it's possible the deal could extend beyond the summer months. In order to be eligible for the discount, moviegoers have to be AMC Stubs members. The base AMC Stubs program is free to join, though other tiers offer paid subscription plans. Customers can sign up for AMC Stubs online. Which movies are eligible for AMC's 50% off Wednesdays? AMC Stubs members can get 50% off the adult-evening base ticket price, a deal available all day on Wednesdays at every location around the country. Premium format movies such as IMAX at AMC, Dolby Cinema at AMC, PRIME at AMC and RealD 3D will be eligible for the base ticket price discount, though there may be additional charges. Certain movies and holiday time periods may also be excluded from the promotion, though AMC is pushing to make it widely accessible, the company said. "It is envisioned that if successful, this new AMC pricing initiative will be almost universally available at all AMC Theatres in the United States going forward," the company said in a news release. Melina Khan is a trending reporter covering national news for USA TODAY. She can be reached at MKhan@
13-05-2025
- Business
AMC announces half-off tickets coming this summer: What to know
AMC movie theaters will be offering discounted movie tickets every Wednesday this summer. The movie theater chain announced the special promotion Monday, touting its goal of making "moviegoing more affordable than ever." Under the new offer, AMC Stubs loyalty members can get 50% off regular adult evening tickets all day long on Wednesdays, starting July 9. "At AMC, we've gone to great lengths to create the preeminent moviegoing environment at our AMC theatres including our offering more comfortable seating, more premium formats, and better food and beverage offerings. Now, we also are pleased to make moviegoing more affordable, with our new '50% Off Wednesdays' effort," AMC Chair and CEO Adam Aron said in a statement. "Realistically, we could not afford to have made this change to our ticket pricing strategy until the box office showed true signs of sustained recovery," Aron continued. "But in April and now in May, the box office has been booming, and the remainder of 2025 appears poised to continue that upward box office trend." Increased prices for special experiences such as Dolby Cinema at AMC, IMAX at AMC, PRIME at AMC, and RealD 3D, as well as fees on online tickets, will still apply, but base ticket prices will benefit from a 50% discount. AMC, one of the largest movie theater chains with about 900 theatres around the world, added "that if successful," the chain hopes to make the change permanent and make it "almost universally available at all AMC Theatres in the United States going forward." The "50% Off Wednesdays" promotion will be available to approximately 36 million current loyalty members and new customers who can join the AMC Stubs Insider program for free. AMC already offers discounts to Stubs loyalty members on Tuesdays and hopes that foot traffic will increase on Wednesdays, as it has on Tuesdays for the past several years.
