AMC announced that moviegoers can expect up to 30 minutes of previews and ads before films begin. Variety's Brent Lang joins "CBS News Mornings" with more on the move.

AMC Theatres has updated its ticketing process to inform customers that films may begin up to 30 minutes after the scheduled showtime, reflecting an increase in pre-show advertisements and previews. This change is intended to provide greater transparency for moviegoers, as the company continues to seek new revenue streams in response to declining ticket sales and significant debt.

Industry observers note that while ticket sales have rebounded somewhat, they remain below pre-pandemic levels, prompting AMC and other cinema chains to explore additional advertising opportunities. The move has sparked discussion about its impact on the moviegoing experience, particularly as many theaters now offer reserved seating, reducing the incentive for early arrival.

Why AMC is warning of longer previews at movie theaters

All right, if you love going to the movie theater, like me, you might be used to sitting through those previews. But now AMC Theatres is making it easier for customers to know when the film actually begins. This is groundbreaking. Just take a look at their website. A new notice appears when purchasing tickets, warning that, quote, "'Movie' star 25 to 30 minutes after showtime." And this comes as the theater chain has also started playing more pre-show advertisements. To break down this, we're joined by Brett Lang, he's the executive editor there at Variety, joining us here in New York City. So Brett, what do you make of this? You know, most people are used to the movie starting a bit after the listed time begins, but if AMC makes this announcement, what stops you and me from showing up 25 to 30 minutes later? Yeah, I mean, honestly, I don't even understand what the point is. For average users, why would you want people to be discouraged from coming to see your ad? They're paying to get it in front of a number of eyeballs. So I don't really understand. And I mean, I get why AMC is adding ads. They need more revenue. Ticket sales are down. AMC has a lot of debt on its books, and they'll take money wherever they can get it. But this is basically just encouraging people to show up late, particularly since so many AMC theaters offer reserved seating. So there's no incentive for people to get there early and watch ads for Fresca or whatever. And, you know, turn off your cell phone and all the other little notes that come along. AMC did see a first quarter loss of more than $200 million this year, though. Are you seeing those trends widespread, or is that unique to the company? Well, I think what happened is you had a very slow start to the box office this year. Things have rebounded. Ticket sales are actually up more than 15% year over year, although they're still way down from pre-pandemic revenues. So what's happening is that these movie theaters are still struggling to dig out from the hole that COVID left them in. But things are on the rebound. It's just, it's a really, really challenging business right now. The margins are perilously thin, and I think AMC is trying to find revenue wherever it can. I mean, I still love going to a movie theater to see big blockbusters and to get the full experience. They have some at the Regal Theaters where the seats move and blow puffs of air. In our last few seconds, do you think AMC is doing enough to bring people in and make that experience unique? No, I actually think this is a completely stupid idea. It makes people actually not be able to differentiate between the home experience and the theatrical experience. It's a very, very stupid idea. Brent, Lang, not holding back. If you want to get straight talk, speak to someone here in New York City. Great to have you with us this morning. We appreciate you, Brent. Thanks for having me.

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