Sick of going to the movies and they supposed to start and yet its twenty minutes of freaking ads.
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I have been timing movie previews since August 2022. I was posting the data weekly on Twitter but I stopped using Twitter when the sale to Elon was finalized.
My Qualifications
I have a monthly pass that allows me to go up to 4 times a week. I also worked at a theater for 4 years, with part of that time being as a manager and projectionist. I have selected and put ad rolls on the film myself.
I go every Sunday morning. I started timing ads and previews before the movie started and logging them in a chart, but I am not a data analyst. I am just an annoyed theater patron.
Movie Previews and Ad Roll Lengths
Note: Most of my data is from seeing movies at AMC. I can’t guarantee every theater will be this way but theaters that use digital film distribution instead of physical film should be similar.
Timing start at the scheduled showtime and start the moment the last ad stops and the film credits start.
If you go to AMC, the Nicole Kidman ad is always the last one. I stop counting as soon as she says “AMC Theaters, we make movies better.”
- You can safely go to the theater 15 minutes late every single time.
- Ads ranged from 17 min to 31 min.
- Once, the movie started exactly on time with no ads at all, but that was two years after I started timing previews. This is an outlier.
- Newer movies have longer ads. Movies in the larger rooms have longer ads. IMAX, Dolby, Laser, Prime, and 3D/movies 4D have longer ads. For these movies, ads tend to run approximately 24-27 min.
- The longer the movie has been out the shorter the ad roll length.
- The studio/distributor behind the movie also matters. Indies and smaller budgets have less ads, but big studios like Disney and Sony have more. Studios like Searchlight and Focus can be deceptive as they are owned by bigger companies but they still aren’t as bad as said larger conglomerates.
TLDR: I tracked movie ad times for years and recommend showing up 15 minutes late.
Are you posting from 2007?
You can ask the workers when the movie actually starts and they will tell you. There’s a schedule they have printed every day or a digital one they can reference usually. They will also tell you the exact time the credits end for better scheduling
Oh heck, I never thought of just asking! (Admittedly, I’m usually high as balls and socially awkward at a movie but still!)
Oh yeah? I went to go see Dogma last week. The movie started right on time. I missed out the buddy christ bit because we were busy getting snacks and hitting the bathroom thinking weve got plenty of time.
Just show up late. That’s what I do.
There used to be a scary logo animation for National Amusements that used to scare me as a child. It gives me the creeps now still.
It was all neon and then there would be a creepy screen to show you where the exits were.
https://youtu.be/xkuWSpljM5g And https://youtu.be/TK3rSOrE6L0
(Not directly related but this reminded me of it.)
I leave for the theater when its scheduled to start. I’m in my seat with usually a few minutes to spare. Its super nice living so close to the theater.
Growing up in Sweden, ads were not allowed in TV. So only time you got to see ads was at the movie. So ads felt special and fun to watch.
I like to see the ads so I know what to get excited to see. I also like it as late protection where if we are late we know the movie still hasn’t started. Add 15 mins for the “real” start time.
Turns a 2 hour movies into two and a half almost. My ass starts to hurt halfway through.
That’s why I only watch movies at home… I need comfort.
And subtitles, and the ability to pause, and home cooked meals, and and and
This is why I haven’t gone to the movies in many years. Add in the people who just can’t keep off their phones for 2 whole hours (or put them on silent) and that convinced me to invest in higher quality home entertainment.
Don’t forget the talkers. Two old ladies in front of me wouldn’t shut up.
They just announced they were upping the ad content. You are seeing it in real time.
I love the ads lol, new movies. Dope as hell.
Love trailers, fucking hate ads for cars and stupid bullshit played before or after trailers.
It’s fun to try guessing what brand the ad is for (up to a point). I hate when they tease me as if the movie is about to start and then start playing more ads instead.
Movie trailers are good though. Have seen some that I’d never have watched without seeing a trailer there.
Yeah that pisses me. They say now enjoy your movie and get another 10 minutes of ads.
