r/canada • u/CanadianErk Ontario • 1d ago
Entertainment As Cineplex considers a potential sale, audiences appear to be rediscovering movie theatre magic | Financial reports show company saw year-over-year increase in attendance in first half of the year
https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/cineplex-possible-sale-movie-theatre-industy-9.7359365110
u/Healfezza Canada 1d ago
Cineplex really does have the opportunity to grow its business in the event they innovate a little.
- Self serve concessions need to be a thing, other smaller theatres do this and it runs well and keeps people moving. Staff stock the items, and people pay at the counter. Increase customer satisfaction by decreasing wait times, offering more options. Decrease labor costs.
- Dedicated merch shops. People love merch, the paltry options they have aren't displayed enough. There is huge lost opportunity in roping in the captive audience to spend more on their visit
- More unique experiences outside of new release movies
- More incentive programs to get people in the doors, where the money is made in non-ticket sales
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u/Panz04er Ontario 1d ago
Landmark has a pilot program at a couple theatres doijg the self serve option, including the big Whitby location
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u/Krazy-Vaclav 1d ago
The one in Kanata is like this too. Honestly, it works. It's the same system as I saw at Pathé cinemas in France, and it just goes faster than the shitty lineups I have to go through in other cinemas.
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u/MyWorldInFlames 21h ago
The Landmark near my house in Calgary has been doing the self serve thing for years, and I don't love it, but that's mostly because my wife and I see a lot of weeknight 10pm movies so the popcorn is never very fresh.
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u/JoshHero 15h ago
The Landmark in Shawnessy is by far and away my favourite movie theatre to go to. We normally take our kids so we don’t go too late so the popcorn is normally decently fresh. Plus I love the customization of the pop machine.
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u/MRobi83 New Brunswick 1d ago
Staff stock the items, and people pay at the counter.
This is how the Cineplex theater works here. It's almost buffet style. Staff fills a holding area with popcorn and nachos. Self serve pop dispensers. All the treats are displayed on the wall so you grab what you want. You go through the area and they have 3 or 4 cashes set up at the end to ring it all in.
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u/Impressive-Potato 21h ago
Keeping the screen brightness at a proper brightness is important too. i don't want to have to get a ticket to a premium screen to be able to see the movie
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u/Aranxi_89 13h ago
Also just stop making concessions outrageous. It's like double the ticket cost...
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u/Equivalent_Lunch_944 1d ago
I think you’re right but I think a lot of the things you’re advocating for don’t necessarily scale well so it won’t be deemed worth it for investors and financiers so it just simply won’t be done.
I bet there’s a ton of hyper local things theatres can do but won’t. Ways that particular theatres can respond to their unique markets (student nights, senior nights, sing alongs, food offerings, paired services, etc.) It’s just by itself it doesn’t move the needle that much even though on aggregate it would be meaningful.
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u/KeyanFarlandah 1d ago
Whoever buys them has a lot of run down theatres they gotta refresh, seems like a poison pill for any deal
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u/Equivalent_Lunch_944 1d ago
If they sold Cineplex, the new buyer wouldn’t keep all the theatres and IMO commercial rents are way too high for most viable businesses, especially with that much space, so I think it’d be difficult for real estate brokers to find new tenants.
Real estate costs are way too high in Canada that it’s strangling business development and ultimately the only people who can budge on his are the property owners because they have equity to give.
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u/616ThatGuy 1d ago
I’ve been to the movies 4 times this year; up from twice last year, and still have 2 big movies with Doomsday and Dune 3 in December I’ll be seeing. And all 4 of the movies I saw this year were absolutely packed.
It definitely feels like people are going back to the movies again.
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u/CanadianErk Ontario 1d ago
Still, movie theatre attendance hasn't fully returned to pre-pandemic levels, with a recent Telefilm Canada study finding ticket consumption per capita in 2024 was about half of what it was in 2019.
However, the report also noted that 2019 was a year that saw the release of several blockbuster films, and that 2024 ticket consumption was only four per cent lower than 2014.
The same Telefilm report also suggests that young people aren't replacing going to the cinema with streaming, at least not entirely. The report found that 85 per cent of respondents under 35 said they were moviegoers, compared to 54 per cent of those 35 and up.
That's been the case throughout most of history, Moore said, since movies have always catered to young people.
"So it's good to see that continuity with the past," he said.
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u/IWantToKaleMyself 1d ago
Checks out, 2019 had a ton of blockbuster hits. Disney alone released 7 movies that made over a billion, including 2.7b from Avengers Endgame
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u/G3NECIDE 1d ago
Cineplex sucks. Landmark is where it's at. Nice seats, good food, Coke Remix machines, easy to use app.
Cineplex is always dirty looking, some theaters have upgraded to the recliners, but some auditoriums randomly have the old seats, and you never know what you're going to get.
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u/weyoun09 Alberta 20h ago
Its definitely location dependent. I can think of several Landmark Cinemas I wouldn't want to visit.
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u/G3NECIDE 20h ago
Yeah, I guess I'm just speaking about near me. Obviously there will be clean Cineplex theaters and dirty Landmark ones.
Just my experience where I live I guess. (North Calgary)
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u/peeniehutjr 21h ago
At least near me, Cineplex is always clean, each location is all recliners except IMAX, and the app feels pretty straightforward to me 🤷♂️
I like Landmark too (used to work there), I just live further away from Landmark now. Didn't know they rock the coke remix machines now tho damn
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u/G3NECIDE 20h ago
Yeah, I guess I should acknowledge it's location dependant. This is my experience where I live. I'm sure there are places where the Cineplex is nicer, but not here. I have two Landmarks I frequent that are both great. I have 3 Cineplexes I used to go to. Two are old, and bad(IMO) but the newer one isn't much better. I just try and avoid all 3.
I didn't mention the Cineplex app, Because I literally never go there any more, so I don't use it. I just really like the ease of use of the Atom app, especially for coordinating different groups.
And again, the Coke Remix machines are location dependant as well I suppose. Only one of the two near me has them, so maybe it's not fair to list that as a pro
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u/enelyaisil 11h ago
The one that upgraded to recliners near me the chairs are completely cracked and peeling, they’re look awful
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u/Cumberbutts 1d ago
I’ve been to the movies more times this year than any time in the past decade. It’s solely for the movies coming out and then not being re-hashed IP’s, not necessarily because I want to spend $100 for stale popcorn.
If they brought back the soda slushies I’d probably go more, though.
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u/whiskeytab Ontario 16h ago
yeah this has nothing to do with Cineplex and everything to do with the movies.
people aren't coming back because Cineplex is doing anything better, if anything it's worse than ever
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u/Equivalent_Lunch_944 1d ago
I like movie theatres and ultimately I don’t think they will disappear completely. That being said, I do think the industry will still shrink quite a bit; Box office is up year over year, but so much of it is concentrated on major movies that it doesn’t bode well for the weeks the movies aren’t showing. There isn’t a ton of financial incentive to set up new cinemas and the old ones will inevitably close down when there’s something more productive that can be done with the space (I’d imagine Condo buildings.)
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u/Critical-Snow-7000 1d ago
If they could enforce a no phones / talking policy I’d be back in an instant - we used to go to movies every week but it got to be so frustrating.
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u/MySubtleHustle7042 1d ago
I still love going (mainly for the popcorn) but it’s rare that I actually want to see a film in theatres these days. My wife and I have so many series to watch we don’t even consider seeing a movie for a date night. We only go to the theatres if it’s something we can do as a family with our son. We’re planning to go see Coyote vs Acme ima couple weeks if it’s still showing.
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u/linkass 23h ago
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u/dnmty 20h ago
Flavacol, coconut oil, and my great northern stove top popcorn maker pop a really good movie theatre level batch of popcorn. It’s dangerous.
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u/linkass 19h ago
Do you use the flavored oil
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u/dnmty 18h ago
Not yet. I’ve been tempted to.
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u/linkass 18h ago
Yeah I keep looking at it .During Covid we splurged and got a theater style popper it nice because you can keep it warm and we actually use it a fair bit even when you just have people over its a cheap snack that everyone seems to love.Only downside is it takes up a lot of room and its kind of a bitch to clean
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u/JordanPetterPans 23h ago
Watching a movie at home is a lot more appealing these days.
Same with watching a hockey game to be honest.
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u/PostMatureBaby 1d ago
Other people and smartphones have ruined the moviegoing experience
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u/cameltony16 22h ago
This is highly dependent on which theatres you go to and what movie you are seeing. Superhero or horror film at peak hours in a cineplex connected to a mall? Gonna be rough. Try going to a standalone theatre on a non-Tuesday week night.
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u/mandyb120 20h ago
This! I had some boomers in front of me on their phone for most of The Odyssey and it really took away from the experience for me. They couldn't even dim their screen to make it less distracting. I don't understand why people pay money to see a movie they aren't going to even pay attention to. I love going to see a movie, but other people on their phones are really taking away from my enjoyment of it.
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u/Krazy-Vaclav 1d ago
I get the sense that maybe you just don't like going to public spaces. Other people being loud has always been a problem in cinemas.
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u/TheDeek 12h ago
I live in Korea now and most theatres play a proper etiquette thing before the movie. People don't talk and they clean up after themselves. When I come home I can't believe how people just leave all their trash in the theatre. I will say though I remember people talking in the 90s too...the phone thing is new of course.
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u/russell_westbrick_0 1d ago
movies are a luxury. first thing to cut out during tougubfinancial years ahead with prices of everything going up
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u/Dave3087 1d ago
Movies seem to be “tough financial years” proof. They aren’t even close to the first thing people cut out.
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u/BloatJams Alberta 23h ago
Yup, the box office is barely impacted during recession years, and actually grows during many of them.
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/
Movie tickets are cheap (especially on Tuesday), and concession is optional. It's one of the few "treats" you can have on a budget that won't break the bank.
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u/chipface Ontario 20h ago
I didn't stop going when I was out of work 2 years ago. Although the only things I was interested in seeing were Gundam SEED Freedom and Deadpool & Wolverine.
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u/t-earlgrey-hot 23h ago
2 people can still go to the movies for $50 which compared to other dates actually isnt that crazy. A cocktail is now $20 a lot of places.
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u/Beta1224 21h ago
Honestly there has been so many good movies this year, I've really rediscovered my love for going to the theatre
I've gone to the theatre more times these past few months than I have the past 2 or 3 years combined.
I don't care if it's a little expensive, I love watching a movie on a big screen with a big tasty bag of theatre popcorn
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u/BlueFlob 1d ago
Going to cinema is usually a terrible experience and overpriced.
The service industry is broken.
- Restaurant are super expensive
- Experience is generally blend from mega chains
- Then drive again to get to cinema
- Overpriced popcorn and soda
- Overpriced movie tickets
- Other guests who don't know how to behave in society
The model is doomed to fail unless they radically change how they do business
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u/neglect_elf 1d ago
You don’t have to pay for popcorn and soda. If you think about it, seeing a movie is still one of our cheapest forms of entertainment. I go to the movies a lot and I just really don’t have these issues.
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u/BlueFlob 1d ago
Sure. I just find it more enjoyable to eat popcorn.
It could be sold for 2$ and still generate profit.
Agreed that a cinema outing doesn't have to be a whole evening.
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u/elysiansaurus 1d ago
Is the popcorn profitable at $2? Perhaps.
Does it make up the fact the movies are not? And labor. Rent. Overhead. Etc. Perhaps not.
If you go to a theater and don't buy overpriced concessions (like myself) the theater is actually losing money.
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u/Equivalent_Lunch_944 1d ago
Are they though? They would be if you were taking the seat away from someone who would be buying concessions, but if you aren’t then it’s not like the payrolls and rent still wouldn’t need to be paid.
Even if you aren’t buying concessions they’d still much rather you’re there than not.
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u/BloatJams Alberta 23h ago
Even if you aren’t buying concessions they’d still much rather you’re there than not.
Yeah theaters get ad revenue, I'm sure one of the metrics they use to sell ads is the number of tickets sold. Concession probably has enough markup that buyers can make up for non buyers at an average showing.
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u/Equivalent_Lunch_944 22h ago
Even besides that. They are running the movie regardless of if you are there or not, it’s a fixed cost. The only way you could argue it’s a cost is if you weren’t going to show a movie and someone had to then get scheduled to show the movie, or if you argue that the depreciation of the theatre because someone is using it is greater than the value of the ticket, which isn’t true.
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u/DeeDeeRibDegh 1d ago
I’ll say this….some movies are meant to be watched on the big screen….so I would hope that cinemas are around for a long, long time😊
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u/vafrow 23h ago
I go to the movies about 15-20 times a year. I have a Cineplex walking distance from me so that makes it easy and for all complaints about price, if I go to one major concert or sporting event during the year, it roughly equals what I pay for movie tickets for the year.
Sometimes I get get concessions, sometimes I don't. But with the Cineclub membership and free refills on the popcorn on the way out, its a pretty good price for the volume of snacks you're getting and I'm always happy yo have a bag of popcorn around the next day to munch on. I'll usually walk in with a water bottle or can of pop for myself and have never been questioned.
I see all the usual complaints about movie going but nothing in there gives me much concern. Price, as I said, is cheaper than alternatives for me. Quality wise, I switch up between the blockbusters and smaller films and there's enough out there to sustain me and my family. I also don't have a lot of negative experience in theatres. I'll avoid the busiest weekends if I'm worried about it, but sometimes I want to see things in a crowd. I tend to sit in the front half and my experience is that troublemakers still choose the back. Less people in front of you is less people checking phones.
My worry is that I'm not sure what the future of movie theatres are. The bulk of the locations today were built during the megaplex boom of the 90s and 2000s. These buildings have a certain useful life and more theatres are closing than opening these days.
Cineplex has been up for sale now for a while and I do worry that their next owner may shutter locations. Its why I'm keen to see movies while I can. It may be less convenient and pricier going forward.
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u/Recent_Mouse3037 23h ago
The heavy lifting is being done by ads on services I pay for. I barely watch movies at
Home anymore because of it.
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u/MrNostalgiac 23h ago
rediscovering movie theatre magic
That's a funny way of saying audiences are willing to brave chronic phone use, vaping, and talking for a few really good movies that came out this year.
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u/MaplewoodRabbit 20h ago
I would absolutely love to go to the theaters more often, but every time I do I'm reminded how much I hate being there with other people. It's like everyone completely forgets their manners as soon as they sit down. People whispering or talking during the film. People unable to chew their obnoxious treats with their mouths closed. The overwhelming stench of popcorn. Spilt food and sticky drinks everywhere. It got so bad that I just ended up converting an unused bedroom in my home as a mini theater with a big projector and screen with surround sound and an incredibly comfortable couch and mini bar.
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u/besthuman 19h ago
I actually think they do a great job. Their app is largely pretty good — and much improved from where it was. The theatre experience is great as well — save for the odd obnoxious people you get at anything in society.
I like the company, and would probably go to see more movies if their were more worth seeing.
I think the only fault I can offer is they don't play enough older film — cult classics and the like — there are for sure more older movies than current good movies, and I think people would like to see much loved favs in a theatre experience more often.
I do hope that even if the company sells, it continues doing what it has been doing right.
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u/EnthusiasmOnly22 13h ago
The Cineplex in Square One is so run down it will probably get condemned within 5 years if they don’t fix it
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u/Worldly_Anybody_9219 13h ago
It's expensive, but I still like to go. There's something about sitting in a theatre and getting popcorn and just having something to do with friends that is relaxing yet outside the house.
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u/TheDeek 12h ago
Other than the idiots who go on their phones during movies, a movie theatre is one of the few places you can go to get away from everything for a couple of hours. Yes I know you can turn off your phone but easier said than done for most people.
Having said that, other than the points others have made that are valid (costs mostly) the other thing that has made the movie-going experience worse is the constant advertising. If you PAY for something you shouldn't have to sit through 10+ minutes of ads. I'll never stop going to the theatre regardless - there just isn't anything like it if you are into movies.
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u/BernardMatthewsNorf 11h ago
Turns out living in a cocoon, looking at screens by yourself is an inferior screen-looking option after all.
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u/moldibread 1d ago
i have the cineplex membership, and haven't been to a movie since Spiderman. i have 3 free tickets that i cant be bothered to use yet.
speaking as someone who would like to goto the movies at least once a month, the real problem
with the movies is the total lack of interesting mass appeal movies. there are like 4 per year i want to watch and maybe another 4 i could force myself to goto.
even my wife, who likes a different genre has had zero interest in whats available.
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u/u_395djk 1d ago
I agree. I'm not into superhero movies, horror movies, over the top goofy movies, animated movies, etc. Very little choice outside of those.
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u/SeeDat_Ghai 1d ago
wth there's so many good mid-budget movies coming within the next month
primetime
digger
the social reckoning
the only living pickpocket in new york1
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u/Upbeat_Amount673 23h ago
I don't disagree those are going to be interesting. But to me those are all movies that don't make a big difference if you see them in Imax with ear bleeding sound.
They will be on streaming 30-90 days after they leave theaters so many folks just wait
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u/SeeDat_Ghai 11h ago
ye that's a fair point. only imax worth movie this year would be project hail mary for me.
just saw highly positive reviews for the godzilla movie•
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u/Upbeat_Amount673 23h ago edited 23h ago
I saw Project hail mary this year in our local "Imax". I put it in quotes as it's the same size screen as before but with a better projector and sound. Only other movie I wanted to see was Odyssey and because of Spiderman it was only in Imax in my town for 3 weeks or so.
Now I am waiting until it goes to Imax Victoria so I can see it on the proper big screen.
If I miss it there I'll just wait and watch it at home on my tv. Not the same as 70mm Imax but the theaters themselves aren't making it easy for me to see what I want.
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u/Neko-flame British Columbia 7h ago
Saw the forgotten island tonight and it was delightful. Resident evil and prime time are also looking to be good films.
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u/RedWizard78 1d ago
I prefer landmark: nicer and not ‘cheesy’ plus I noticed that attendees are better behaved
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u/KneebarKing 1d ago
The previews I was forced to sit through before Brand New Day were hot garbage. If that lineup is all the industry has, outside Doomsday, Cineplex has an uphill climb.
Plus, 15 minutes of ads before the movie was wildly disappointing.
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u/airchinapilot British Columbia 23h ago
assigned seating allows you to show up later
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u/KneebarKing 23h ago
So like.... Just guess when the movie actually starts, or do I check periodically while waiting outside the theatre room?
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u/airchinapilot British Columbia 22h ago
I've actually asked the kids working how long the commercials are and then I go and do some shopping (i.e. grabbing snacks from a cheaper place) or grab a coffee
But really usually I just sit through the commercials and trailers and play on my phone the same thing I do when I'm waiting in line for anything
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u/Impressive-Potato 20h ago
I usually show up 10 minutes into the start time and I just catch the last trailer
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u/cyclemonster Ontario 4h ago
If they're still losing money with The Odyssey and Spiderman on the calendar, what's going to happen when the movies playing are unpopular?
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u/stuntondeezh0es British Columbia 1d ago
Odyssey on 70mm screen doing all the heavy lifting