Will AMC’s 30-Minute Previews Ruin Cinemas?

I love movie trailers in theatres. For me, missing them by arriving late is missing the big screen experience.

As “Jurassic World: Rebirth” lights up the July 4 box office with a potential $150M opening, behind the scenes, tension is rising between Hollywood studios and AMC Theatres. The issue? Not pricing, not popcorn—previews.

AMC has quietly extended its pre-movie experience to 25–30 minutes of ads and trailers. Some screenings, like “F1” in Los Angeles, reportedly stretched to 34 minutes. While AMC includes a disclaimer about the runtime, audiences are adjusting, by arriving late.

For studios, this spells trouble. In-theater trailers remain a powerful marketing tool, yet internal data shows only 20% of moviegoers are seated at showtime. Most trickle in just before the film starts, rendering expensive trailer placements ineffective.

Studios are not taking it lightly. Sony’s Tom Rothman bluntly asked, “What if a trailer plays in a movie theater and no one sees it?” With six-figure investments in trailer spots, low viewer engagement is both costly and counterproductive.

AMC CEO Adam Aron deflected criticism, citing industry-wide norms and post-COVID recovery efforts. But the growing pre-show bloat threatens the core appeal of going to the movies: a focused, immersive experience.

If trailers go unseen, and moviegoers feel misled by extended wait times, the long-term damage could be severe. AMC and others may need to rethink how far they can stretch the experience before audiences, and studios, walk away. Comment below with your thoughts.

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Source: World Of Reel

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