AMC Theaters is giving moviegoers a more transparent heads-up that your film might not start until half an hour after the listed showtime. The chain recently updated its website to reflect that “movies start 25 to 30 minutes after showtime,” aiming to reduce frustration for customers who don’t want to sit through a growing number of ads.
More ads coming to AMC screens
This change comes as AMC strikes a new deal with National CineMedia (NCM), a leading in-theater ad network. The agreement, announced in June, will place new commercial spots directly before a movie begins.
In 2022, NCM said their advertising network reached more than 20,600 screens across the country after striking a deal with Spotlight Cinema Networks — another ad network. Under the new deal, AMC will feature up to five minutes of ads after a movie’s official start time, along with a 30–60 second “Platinum Spot” before the final trailers.
Why now? Declining revenue and theater struggles
AMC has faced financial headwinds for years. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first quarter of 2025 was AMC’s worst since 1996 (excluding the pandemic era). The chain closed 169 theaters in 2019 to improve its margins, according to The Wrap.
But it’s not just AMC that has experienced losses, it’s the industry as a whole. The Los Angeles Times reported box office revenue dropped 11% in March compared to the same period in 2024. Streaming competition, high ticket prices, fewer blockbuster films, and lingering pandemic impacts have all contributed to the decline.
A shift from AMC’s previous stance
Back in 2019, NCM’s CEO Tom Lesinski told The Hollywood Reporter that AMC was in talks to increase the number of ads shown.
AMC quickly denied their involvement, arguing that moviegoers would “react quite negatively to the concept.” The company stated it had no plans to run ads so close to the actual film start time.
However, facing mounting losses, AMC has now reversed course. Among the brands expected to appear in these premium ad spots are Jeep, Google and e.l.f. Cosmetics.
Box office is rebounding — slightly
Despite the rough start to the year, there are signs of a modest rebound.
CNN reports that in 2025, box office sales have risen 18% year-over-year as of June. Titles like “A Minecraft Movie,” “Lilo & Stitch” and “Sinners” have helped boost ticket revenue.
Still, overall domestic ticket sales fell to $8.7 billion in 2024, down 3.3% from $9.04 billion in 2023, according to Variety.
AMC hopes that updating its ticketing platform to reflect true movie start times will improve the customer experience, especially now that assigned seating at most theaters removes the need to arrive early.
