AMC Theatres said Tuesday it was offering private rental of auditoriums at its 600 U.S. movieplexes, following a successful October test, as the chain emerges from COVID-19 looking to boost revenues.
Renters can reserve an entire theater, choosing from “available fan faves” for $99 plus sales tax, or new releases starting at $149 plus tax. The Private Theatre Rentals at AMC rental fee includes the price of tickets for up to 20 people; there is no minimum food and drink purchase requirement. “Make it a personal screening for one or a private party for up to 20 people total,” AMC said.
During a four-week test in October, AMC said it received 110,000 inquiries from around the country. “This number of contacts about a private rental in a four-week period was achieved without any significant marketing or press announcement, and it dwarfs the total number of AMC’s private theatre rentals in all of 2019 (26,000) by more than four-fold,” AMC said.
Guests can book a rental at amctheatres.com/rentals or by updating and using the AMC Theatres mobile app. Guests select a movie that’s playing in their local theatre, choose the time and date of their requested showtime, confirm, and check out. Rentals must be made at least one day in advance and are subject to availability at the theatre. No outside food and beverage is allowed.
Guests must follow “AMC Safe & Clean” policies and protocols, including wearing of masks and social distancing within the auditoriums.
“AMC abides by all state and local directives regarding movie theatre operations, and in rare cases, the total allowed guest count may be less than 20 to comply with state and local directives,” AMC said.
AMC began re-opening its theaters in August after a five-month closure due to COVID. As of the end of its third quarter Sept. 30, 467 of its 600 U.S. theaters were open again. The company reported it lost $905.8 million on $119.5 million in sales in the third quarter, compared to a loss of $54.8 million on $1.3 billion in revenue for the prior year's quarter. As of October, 539 U.S. locations were open.
Starting in March, AMC reported it raised about $900 million from new debt and equity capital, secured more than $1 billion of concessions from creditors and landlords, and raised more than $80 million from asset sales.
"The duration and impact of this pandemic are still affecting us to this day and are certain to continue to affect our results going forward," Adam Aron, AMC's CEO, said in the company's third-quarter earnings reports. "And yet, as has been the case at AMC for 100 years, we have remained resilient and resourceful."