In an age where spoilers dominate social media and the film industry leans heavily on remakes and sequels, the thrill of unpredictability is becoming increasingly rare for moviegoers.
One innovative solution that theater chains have embraced is the concept of mystery screenings, which have surged in popularity in recent years.
Every Monday at 7 p.m., multiple theater chains, including AMC and Cinemark, host screenings where audiences can watch an undisclosed film for just $5.
Ryan Wood, senior vice president and head film buyer for AMC Theatres, explains the appeal: “I think people like something new. It’s kinda nuts. I don’t think I would ever sit in an auditorium and not know what I’m going to see. But adding to the theatrical experience has been something that audiences have really enjoyed.”
Typically, attendees are only informed of the movie’s rating and approximate run time.
For horror films, a label is provided due to their divisive nature.
AMC has its Screen Unseen program and a separate Scream Unseen initiative specifically for horror titles, while Cinemark offers the Secret Movie Series.
The element of surprise is a key draw, and many attendees actively engage in guessing which movie they will see.
Public relations manager Julia McCartha for Cinemark notes, “People are really excited about it. They love to try to guess the movie.”
To fuel the speculation, various online platforms, Facebook groups, and subreddits have formed to analyze and predict upcoming mystery titles.
Interestingly, moviegoers on the West Coast may have an advantage; they can often uncover titles before those in other time zones get a chance due to social media posts made as soon as the films start.
However, many attendees appreciate remaining completely unaware of their choice until the movie begins.
Mystery screenings occur intermittently and not all theaters participate every week.
The last widespread mystery movie screening was on July 7, which featured various titles across chains including AMC, Cinemark, Regal’s Monday Mystery Movie, and Maya’s Monday Mystery Movie.
The anticipation surrounding these screenings reached new levels, particularly after last November’s successful showing of “Gladiator II.”
On a recent night, a mystery screening featured the Sundance selection
image source from：neon
