Come this Saturday, September 3rd, movie fans will be able to pick up tickets for the steeply discounted price of $3 each as part of the inaugural National Cinema Day.
Both Regal Cinemas and AMC Theaters will be participating in the event, which extends to all movies and showtimes, including premium formats like IMAX and Dolby Cinema. Though taxes and convenience fees like online and third-party surcharges are not included, AMC is sweetening the deal even further by offering a $5 fountain drink and popcorn combo.
According to The Cinema Foundation, a non-profit arm of the National Association of Theater Owners, $3 movie tickets will be available at more than 3,000 theaters and 30,000 screens. Exclusive previews of upcoming movies will also be featured during the showings. Find out the participating theater closest to you at the official Cinema Day website.
Though box office revenue has rebounded significantly in 2022 with films like Top Gun: Maverick — which blew past $1 billion worldwide — it is still down more than 30% compared to 2019. For Regal Cinemas owner Cineworld Group PLC, the recovery hasn’t been enough to offset its mounting debt. As The Wall Street Journal recently reported, Cineworld is preparing to file for bankruptcy. For now, however, its theaters will remain open for business.
The news arrives after AMC narrowly avoided bankruptcy last summer. Having made it through to the other side, AMC greased the wheels earlier this year by bringing back $5 tickets on Discount Tuesdays, a program that the company had discontinued during the pandemic.