In a bid to entice moviegoers back onto the scene, AMC Theatres is giving customers the opportunity to rent out entire auditoriums for $99.
“Host a personal screening for one or make it a private party for up to 20 people total!” reads AMC’s sales pitch. “It’s perfect for an everyday escape or a celebration to remember.”
The current catalog of movies available includes holiday favorites like Disney’s “Hocus Pocus” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” There are 14 other films available, too, including the new movies “Tenet,” “The New Mutants,” and “2 Hearts.”
New movie showings, however, come at a cost. Rather than the $99 price, renting an auditorium for 20 people costs a whopping $349.
AMC’s unique offering came days before the entertainment brand announced it is forecasting a 91% decline in revenue from 2019. AMC is looking at $119.5 million in the third quarter, compared to $1.316 billion in Q3 of 2019. The company has admitted, unsurprisingly, it’s facing bankruptcy.
In early October, AMC’s biggest competitor, Regal Cinemas, announced it was re-closing its 536 U.S. theaters less than two months after re-opening its doors in late August. The decision to shutter its auditoriums until further notices came after it was announced the forthcoming James Bond franchise film “No Time to Die” will be delayed until 2021.
“This is not a decision we made lightly, and we did everything in our power to support a safe and sustainable re-opening in the U.S.,” said Mooky Greidinger, CEO of Cineworld Group, Regal’s U.K.-based parent company.
AMC is the largest theater company in the country, followed by Regal.