Birthdays, weddings, even funerals are a real bummer in a pandemic; parties and celebrations have been put on the backburner as venues close and people isolate to avoid the spread of novel coronavirus.
AMC Theatres, however, has a "Safe & Clean" solution: The cinema chain this week announced the official launch of private screen rentals for up to 20 friends and family members.
Following a soft-launch beta test, during which the company received 110,000 inquiries (more than four times the volume of requests in all of 2019), AMC is now offering group access starting at $99 (plus tax). Fees are based entirely on which title and location you choose: Older movie showings cost $99 (less than $5 per head), while new releases like Tenet, The War With Grandpa, and Freaky sell for upwards of $349 (about $17 per person, which, for city dwellers, is only slightly more expensive than an average adult ticket).
Got 19 friends who've tested negative for COVID-19 and want to watch the same film as you? Perfect. Book a private showing via the AMC website or mobile app. Rentals must be made at least one day in advance. Guests must abide by AMC Safe & Clean protocols by wearing masks and socially distancing while inside the auditorium; additional precautions include thorough cleaning between showings, nightly disinfecting, upgraded air filtration, and hand sanitizing stations.
"The results and feedback from our guests about AMC Safe & Clean have been overwhelmingly positive, and private theater rentals at AMC provides an additional layer of safety and security to those moviegoers who are looking to see movies with just their family members and friends," Elizabeth Frank, chief content officer and executive vice president of worldwide programming, said in a statement.
"It's unprecedented for AMC to receive 110,000 contacts in four weeks about a private theater rental, based only on word of mouth and organic publicity," she continued. "And we are excited about and appreciative of the interest this has sparked among AMC guests."