Nowadays, everyone knows you can tack on a solid half hour to any movie runtime whenever you go to the theater. If a movie says it will start at 7 pm, we know there will be at least half an hour of trailers before the opening credits roll. And, in a way, we can accept that. Movie trailers and movies are inextricably linked, and seeing the movies that will soon come our way when we’re seated in the theater makes sense… Even though we wish there were fewer of them. But soon, this real estate is about to expand in time and contain commercials for more things that aren’t movies. AMC Theaters has revealed it will add EVEN more commercials to its pre-movie lineups, and these ads won’t be just trailers anymore. Get ready, Coke, you’re about to have some commercial competition at the theater.
Here’s what we know.
Starting now (July 1), AMC will add a “platinum spot” to its pre-movie commercials, incorporating additional advertising alongside the traditional bevvy of film trailers that run before a movie. The Hollywood Reporter reveals that AMC’s total deal with National CineMedia (NCM) includes, “show[ing] as much as five minutes of commercials after a movie’s official start time, and then air[ing] a 30-second to 60-second “Platinum Spot” before the one or last two trailers. Retail partners have included the likes of Jeep, E.L.F. Cosmetics, Google and Cook, among a number of other top brands.” Note: NCM is the in-theater advertising company that facilitates non-trailer ads before movies.
AMC shares, “While AMC was initially reluctant to bring this to our theaters, our competitors have fully participated for more than five years without any direct impact to their attendance. This is a strong indication that this NCM pre-show initiative does not negatively influence moviegoing habits.”
While there may not be a negative impact on moviegoing habits as companies like AMC add more commercials to their movie screenings, the question about a negative impact on the moviegoing experience is a vital and viable one. As mentioned, seeing ads for movie trailers and potentially for products, like Coke, that you might be able to enjoy at the theater makes some sense. But turning the theater into yet another landscape to barrage users with ads is really a depressing thought.
Users aren’t changing their habits because there is little choice available to them. Across all industries, the user experience is being deprioritized in favor of a desperate hunger to squeeze every possible ad dollar out of them. We’ve seen it on streaming. And now we’re seeing it at the movie theater. However, AMC notes that adding more commercials and ads is helping to drive other projects, which are in favor of the consumer.
The company shares in a statement. “Our participation delivers us vital revenue as we continue on our recovery path and allows us to continue offering significant value on ticket prices through initiatives like Discount Tuesday, 20 percent off matinee pricing, and the upcoming 50 percent off Wednesday ticketing program.”
Companies always claim that these kinds of changes are for the good of the fan, and for the sake of the things they enjoy. Whether that’s true or not is hard to suss out. But the fact of the matter is that more ads and commercials are coming to AMC Theaters before their movies. So we guess you’d better pencil in 45 extra minutes of runtime from now on.
To “help” you out, AMC Theaters will warn you about ads when you buy your ticket. According to The Verge, this notice will inform ticket purchasers that “movies start 25-30 minutes after showtime.” AMC has previously noted that it will be “addressing the preshow on its ticketing platforms.” But we’ll see if moviegoers receive any more than this small notice. This generic message remains the same for every movie option on the AMC platform.
With movie runtimes running longer than ever, the extra time necessary to ensure you don’t miss any of your film feels like a big ask. But we have to wonder, will viewers even bother showing up for most of these slots anymore? And what impact will that have both on the hoped for advertising and also on trailers that typically rely on theater eyes to get seen? It doesn’t feel like a very pretty picture.
And it seems like we’re not the only ones left wondering this. A new report indicates that studios aren’t very happy with this change. Deadline shares, “Execs at the major studios began throwing furniture metaphorically, angry that moviegoers no longer were sitting through their in-cinema trailers for future movies due to lengthy preshows — a very powerful piece of marketing as moviegoing begets more moviegoing.” Deadline also notes that “some studio execs read the notice [about showtime start] as, ‘Hey, moviegoers, why don’t you just skip the pre-show until the movie starts?'”
Evidently, “Myriad studios launched their own studies last month, noticing that the preshows for the top three chains ran from 24-28 minutes before one particular new wide release that weekend in SoCal. One internal study observed that only 80% of the audience were in their seats to watch trailers a mere four minutes before a movie began.” It’s hard to know if this ire will have results, but Deadline reports that ” there’s hope that a shave can be done by year’s end.”
Originally published on June 5, 2025.
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Source: Kiat Media
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