With temperatures steadily heating up outside as spring makes its inevitable march towards summer, we inch closer to the summer blockbuster season movie theaters are known for.
That season is not what it used to be, however. Billions of movie tickets were regularly sold every year until the Covid pandemic hit. Ever since, movie theaters stopped hitting those kinds of numbers, and even several years after the pandemic, the cinema has yet to hit those types of heights again.
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The situation has forced movie theaters to be creative about getting people motivated to go to the theater again.Â
Related: Regal, AMC make a genius move to get people to the theater
One thing that was a huge help was discovered by AMC when it decided to start making collectible popcorn buckets, marked by the R2-D2 popcorn bucket it sold when “The Rise of Skywalker” hit theaters in 2019.Â
By 2024, AMC had made $65 million in revenue from collectible merchandise alone. Other movie theaters, such as Regal Cinemas, also noticed and began to manufacture their own.Â
Regal’s Head of Business Development Matt Willard said that when the company did a popcorn container for “Barbie” shaped like the box the doll comes in, it “really opened their eyes” to the potential of these items.
Of course, popcorn buckets are a great aspect of a strategy, but they can’t be the only one. Regal just announced another deal to get families back in theaters this year, and it’s a pretty appealing one.
Regal Cinemas offers summer deals.
Image source: Shutterstock
Regal rolls out the red carpet for summer
Regal has announced a new limited promotion called Regal Summer Movie Express.
“Summer is here, school is out, and this is your chance to spend some extra time with your kids. If youâre looking for affordable family activities, donât miss Regalâs Summer Movie Express!” the official website says.
Starting on June 10 and continuing through August 6, Regal Cinemas will offer a $1 movie ticket for its first showing on both Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Related: AMC announces generous offer to win back customers
Some of the films featured in the event include “The Garfield Movie,” “Trolls,” “If,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” and “Paddington in Peru.” The theater will feature a total of 18 movies during the event, and the full list can be found on Regal’s website.
There’s also a limited deal for snacks for Regal’s event.
“All Summer Movie Express guests can purchase a specially priced $5 Snack Pack, which includes a junior-sized drink, snack-sized popcorn, and fruit snacks. Save an additional $3 when paired with an order of Dippin’ Dots!” the event page reads on Regal’s official website.
How AMC is competing
Regal is not the only movie chain trying to lure guests back in the theater with tantalizingly low prices on tickets.
AMC is running its own event, called Summer Movie Camp, on Monday and Wednesdays, with the first two showings of each film also sold at a discounted ticket price of $3.
The movies on offer include “Shrek,” “Migration,” “The Secret Life of Pets,” “The Bad Guys,” “Kung Fu Panda 4,” “The Wild Robot,” “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” and “Despicable Me 4.”
Related: Netflix CEO shares a controversial take on movie theaters
AMC is also offering a 50% deal on regular adult evening tickets all day long on Wednesdays, starting July 9. The deal is limited to AMC Stubs loyalty members.
AMC has said that if the discounted Wednesdays deal is a success, it hopes to make the change permanent and “almost universally available at all AMC Theatres in the United States going forward.”
