AMC Theatres, the nation's largest movie theater chain, will reopen about 100 of its theaters in the U.S. on Thursday with retro ticket prices of 15 cents per movie. The AMC Classic Statesboro 12, however, is not slated to open until the following week on Aug. 27.
AMC Entertainment, which owns the chain, said that it expects to open the doors to more than 100 cinemas – or about a sixth of its nationwide locations – with throwback pricing for a day.
AMC theaters have reopened in numerous international countries but have remained shuttered in the U.S. since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which shuttered businesses across the country. The chain touted the reopening as "Movies in 2020 at 1920 Prices."
The AMC Classic Statesboro 12 movie theater closed in mid-March along with every other theater in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And when the 12-screen complex opens Aug. 27, all movie-goers will be required to wear masks.
AMC plans to sell masks for $1 for customers who do not bring their own.
AMC and other chains have said they will operate at reduced capacity to facilitate social distancing, along with increased theater cleaning and required mask wearing.
After several false starts due to a summer rise in coronavirus cases throughout much of the U.S., widespread movie going is currently set to resume in late August. Regal Cinemas, the second largest chain, is to reopen some U.S. locations on Friday.
During its opening-day promotion, AMC will show catalog films, including "Ghostbusters," "Black Panther," "Back to the Future" and "Grease." Those older films will continue to play afterward for $5 per ticket.
AMC confirmed that Disney's much-delayed "New Mutants" will debut in theaters August 28, with Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" to follow September 3. Warner Bros. is planning to release "Tenet" a week earlier internationally, including in Canada. A handful of smaller new releases are also planned for late August, including "Unhinged," a thriller from Solstice Studios with Russell Crowe; and Armando Iannucci's "Personal History of David Copperfield," from Disney's Fox Searchlight.
AMC said it expects about two thirds of its theaters will be open in time for "Tenet." Several states, including California and New York, are yet to allow movie theaters to reopen.