AMC Theatres will play more pre-film ads along with trailers for upcoming movies as part of a deal with movie ad company National CineMedia that goes into effect Tuesday.
Under the terms of the deal, a premium ad spot will run along with trailers and AMC and NCM will split the revenues, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The deal was signed in April and runs through 2042, according to an NCM corporate release regarding its first quarter results. It also guarantees NCM the exclusive rights to advertisements shown in the lobbies of AMC theater locations.
Trailers and ads already often run more than 20 minutes at AMC’s screening rooms.
In 2019, two other major U.S. movie theater chains, Regal and Cinemark, inked their own deals with NCM to play a 30- or 60-second spot before the trailers associated with a given movie, according to Deadline.
AMC held off at the time, worried that moviegoers might be turned away.
“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,” AMC said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
The theater chain said the deal will let it continue various discounts for customers.
One of those discounts, half-off regular ticket prices on Wednesdays, goes into effect on July 9.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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