The cinema industry's ongoing fight for footfall has taken a decidedly price-conscious turn this summer, with major exhibitors on both sides of the Atlantic slashing ticket prices to unprecedented levels in their quest to fill seats during traditionally quieter midweek periods. Historically, Tuesdays have been the weekday sweet spot for value-seeking cinemagoers across the US and UK. But as studios and exhibitors alike look to fill more empty seats, Wednesday is emerging as the next battleground for footfall.
While it might seem counter-intuitive to offer half-price tickets for the latest blockbusters, given that “Mission: Impossible – the Final Reckoning” and the live-action “Lilo & Stitch” set a Memorial Day box office record in the US, there is a rationale for looking beyond pure BO to the need to grow attendance as well. As such, cinemas are not just looking at Wednesday as the new Tuesday, but also a myriad of two-for-one and other schemes to lure people back to the cinema.
AMC's Wednesday Gambit
Leading the charge is AMC Theatres, trend-setter in its position as the world's largest cinema chain, which announced it will slash movie ticket prices by 50% on Wednesdays beginning July 9. The discount applies to the normal adult evening ticket price across all US locations, with premium format surcharges still applying but also subject to the same 50% reduction, meaning that even those looking for Marvel or Superman on the largest screen will not be left out. AMC’s latest experiment follows years of quiet lobbying from studios, culminating in public nudges like Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman’s recent CinemaCon address urging exhibitors to “keep prices in check” to ensure theatrical doesn’t become “an endangered species”
The move represents a significant strategic shift for AMC, whose CEO Adam Aron has been approaching studios about extending Tuesday's traditional discount day to Wednesday since late 2024. The announcement comes after AMC reported an 11% drop in first-quarter admissions revenue from a year earlier, amid what the company described as the worst first three months of the year for the industry since 1996.
"Realistically, we could not afford to have made this change to our ticket pricing strategy until the box office showed true signs of sustained recovery," Aron explained. "But in April and now in May, the box office has been booming, and the remainder of 2025 appears poised to continue that upward box office trend."
The Wednesday discount programme will be available exclusively to AMC Stubs members (free to join) and comes as industry data shows Wednesday is historically the slowest day of the week for cinema attendance. According to veteran distributors cited by The Hollywood Reporter, Wednesday is overall the slowest day of the week in terms of box office grosses, with Mondays also sluggish but helped by three-day weekends holiday boosts. According to research from EntTelligence cited in The Hollywood Reporter, the average US adult ticket price peaks at $13.55 on Saturdays. In contrast, Tuesday's average falls to $11.18—a discount pattern that AMC now hopes to replicate midweek
UK Operators Follow Suit
Across the Atlantic, UK exhibitors are implementing their own discount strategies with impressive results. Curzon Cinemas has brought back its popular outdoor cinema programme at Canterbury Riverside, offering tickets for just £5 for both adults and children, with free popcorn included for young viewers. The outdoor screenings will run from Friday, May 23 through early September, featuring everything from recent hits like Wicked and The Wild Robot to classics including Grease and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Paired with their ongoing Curzon Home Cinema offerings, it’s a clear bid to give its audiences choice, flexibility and value.
Meanwhile, REEL Cinema has launched two innovative weekly discount programmes. Their Senior Screen initiative invites film fans aged 60 and over to enjoy specially selected films for just £4.99, including a free hot drink and biscuit, held every Tuesday morning during school terms. Equally noteworthy is their Parent + Baby screenings, designed exclusively for adults with babies under 12 months, featuring lower volume, softer lighting, and unlimited tea or coffee, all for £4.99.
“These events are about removing barriers and making cinema work for everyone,” said Adam Hemming, General Manager at REEL Quinton. “We’re proud to offer a space where our community can relax and reconnect through film—whether you’re a new parent or enjoying retirement.” REEL has always leaned heavily into the community aspect of its cinema operations and these screenings are a natural extension of that ethos, as well as an attempt to target a market that would not naturally seek out weekend blockbuster shows.
These initiatives reflect a broader industry recognition that price sensitivity remains a significant barrier to cinema attendance. Traditional Tuesday discounts remain the industry standard, with most major US and UK chains offering reduced prices on this historically quiet day. However, the expansion to additional discount days signals exhibitors' growing willingness to sacrifice per-ticket revenue in favour of higher attendance volumes, with the implicit support of the distributors whose blockbuster films they are discounting.
The Broader UK Discount Landscape
Beyond AMC, REEL, and Curzon, the UK is brimming with other budget-friendly ways to enjoy the big screen this summer:
- AMC’s UK branch ODEON’s “MyLimitless” members can attend unlimited screenings for a flat monthly fee—with similar schemes in place by Cineworld, Everyman and others;
- Picturehouse Cinemas runs Silver Screenings for over-60s and Toddler Time sessions for families—usually under £5 a ticket;
- Vue’s “Super Mondays” offer ticket discounts via email signup, bringing prices as low as £4.99 in some regions;
- National UK schemes like Meerkat Movies, which provide 2-for-1 tickets every Tuesday and Wednesday (already), continue to draw volume at major chains;
- MUBI Go offers subscribers to its streaming service premium tier the choice of one curated film title in cinemas every week;
- UK’s pay-television platform Sky (owned by ComcastNBCUniversal) offer subscribers to its Sky Cinema package two tickets every month for Vue cinemas Sunday-Thursday.
This web of loyalty deals, niche screenings, and weekday discounts forms a mosaic of affordability. Whether it’s the roar of Jurassic World: Rebirth, the nostalgia of a Silver Screening, or the comfort of coffee in a “Parent + Baby” showing, cinemas are making it easier—and cheaper—than ever to escape into the dark. Moreover, from an industry perspective, “It’s exciting to see further market experimentation with ticket pricing to engage consumers,” as Steve Buck of EntTelligence aptly put it The Hollywood Reporter.
The proliferation of discount options reflects exhibitors' acknowledgment that the industry faces a fundamental challenge. The US market has suffered a steady decline in moviegoing over the past two decades amid the rise of streaming, with tickets sold declining by half since 2002. UK and European exhibitors face similar pressures, though specific market data varies by region, particularly those countries bolstered by a strong slate of local films, such as France.
Summer of Savings
As we head into the peak summer season, cinema-goers have never had more opportunities to enjoy both the latest blockbusters and classic films at significantly reduced prices. Whether through AMC's aggressive Wednesday pricing strategy, UK operators' targeted demographic programmes, industry partnerships or the growing outdoor cinema movement, exhibitors on both sides of the Atlantic are clearly betting that lower margins on higher volumes represent the path forward.
The success of these initiatives will likely determine whether price reduction becomes a permanent feature of the cinema landscape or merely a temporary response to post-pandemic and post-strike attendance challenges. What's certain is that summer 2025 represents a golden opportunity for budget-conscious film fans to return to the big screen without breaking the bank.
Cinema Discount Wars