AMC Theatres, Cineplex Reduce Seating Capacity for ‘Social Distancing’

March 13, 2020

According to Deadline, AMC Theatres has announced that they are cutting seating capacity in all of their auditoriums by at least 50% beginning tomorrow, Saturday, March 14, and continuing through April 30, 2020. The Hollywood Reporter also brings word that Canada’s Cineplex has reduced seating capacity by at least 50% as well to “allow for social distancing.” Regal Cinemas has also joined in reducing theater capacity to at least 50% (via TheWrap).

AMC Theatres will cap ticket sales for each movie showtime, allowing for a maximum of 250 in any case. The outlet notes that the chain is also complying with local authorities’ directives on social gatherings and will further reduce the availability of tickets in order to comply with any future orders from federal, state, or local government.

“The health and safety of our guests and theatre teams are of the utmost importance to AMC. Therefore, AMC is proactively taking action to cut in half the number of tickets that we will make available at all our U.S. theatres. With this action, we are facilitating the ‘social distance’ between guests who still want to see movies on a big screen,” said Adam Aron, CEO and President of AMC Theatres.

Aron added, “These are uncharted times in the United States. We are very closely monitoring the guidance of the CDC. We are complying with all directives from federal, state and local health and government authorities, and with our unilateral move to reduce capacity and increase social distancing, we are going beyond what governments are requiring of us. Founded in 1920, AMC Theatres has a proud history that spans 100 years. As we enter our second century, AMC remains firmly committed to offering a clean, healthy, entertaining environment every time our guests come to movies at our theatres.”

Cineplex shared that “in addition to enhanced cleaning protocols in all of our buildings, we are reducing capacity in all 1,693 theatre auditoriums across Canada to allow for social-distancing.”

“With reduced capacity auditoriums, we are providing our guests with the choice to sit where they feel most comfortable and safe from social-distancing perspective,” added a Cineplex spokesperson.