Cinema Cafe, an independent circuit of dine-in movie theaters on the coast of Virginia, is a country away from the Hollywood premiere of Universal Pictures’ “F9: The Fast Saga.” But the small chain of six movie houses is welcoming the release in its own way — with a car show.
Caitlin Walker, Cinema Cafe’s head of marketing and promotions, said the company has been working with local dealerships and custom auto shops to bring vehicles to their locations to make an event of the blockbuster’s release next weekend.
“We’re trying to give our guests more to look forward to as we celebrate moviegoing,” Walker said.
It’s a small example of a larger push by theater operators, including single-screen arthouses and the biggest international chains, to lure customers back to cinemas as the industry emerges from its long drought.
Theaters are finally open almost everywhere in the U.S. In California, capacity restrictions are now lifted — a major relief for venues that previously had to limit their seating by at least 50%. After months of uncertainty, studios are sticking to their release plans for big movies, having seen some success with films such as Warner Bros. and Legendary’s “Godzilla vs. Kong” and Paramount’s “A Quiet Place Part II.”
