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Why it’ll cost extra to see ‘The Batman’ at AMC theaters

People wear protective face masks outside the AMC Empire 25 movie theater in Times Square on Aug. 5, 2020 in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)

AMC Theatres has started to charge higher prices for Hollywood’s most popular films — including this weekend’s release of Warner Bros.’ “The Batman” — as the world’s largest cinema chain looks to get more bang from the biggest blockbusters.

Chief Executive Adam Aron on Tuesday told investors that the Leawood, Kan.-based company is bringing variable pricing to its theaters, an idea that U.S. movie houses have long resisted other than with matinees and other exceptions.


Aron said during a conference call that prices for “The Batman” this weekend are “slightly higher” than the prices the company is charging for other movies playing in the same theaters at the same time. This comes after the company previously raised prices at some of its theaters for weekend showtimes above weekday screenings, which tend to get lower traffic.

Demand-based pricing may be a novel idea for American movie theaters, though the practice is more common in Europe, where AMC acquired Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group in 2016.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.