At the end of last year, I wrote a piece on a potential resurgence of nationwide advance screenings. I predicted there would be one more big one before 2017 was over, and I was right, as Amazon entered into the game with a successful advance screening launch around the country of “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” 12 days before its official open.
Now, the trend has shifted, but only slightly, to allowing moviegoers to see big new films (ironically) slightly early. It’s what I call the “Double Feature” tactic.
On Thursday April 19, select theaters had the “Super Troopers” Double Feature. I had never seen the original, so I thought that going to this double-header, with the first film at 4pm and the sequel at 6pm, would be beneficial – and it was a lot of fun. I left the theater at 8:00 – just as the regular showings of “Super Troopers 2” began. Fans got to see both movies – with tickets at half-price for the first film and regular price for the second.
About a month later, “Deadpool’s Double Feature”, starting at 4:30pm allowed those who bravely wished to sit through both “Deadpool” movies, to see the sequel at about 6:30pm – 30 to 45 minutes before the starts of the regular Thursday night showings.
And on June 21, you can take part in the “Jurassic World” Double Feature, beginning at 3pm with the first movie and 5pm with “Fallen Kingdom”. Regular showings of “Fallen Kingdom” won’t begin until 7pm that evening. So, technically, you’ll be seeing the new “JW” just a bit before everyone else.
Is that a cool perk? Getting to tweet your thoughts 2 hours earlier than the rest of the country? In an age of getting things out as swiftly as possible, it’s not a bad deal.
Even better: when you get to see the new movie the day before those regular showings begin. That’s what Disney’s doing, with the “Incredibles” Double Header in IMAX on Wednesday June 13. The 2004 original will be at 6pm, and the highly-anticipated sequel starts at 8pm. Regular showings: not till the next day, Thurs. 6/14 at 5pm.
Too good to be true? There is a big catch: a $30 ticket price ($10 for the old movie – airing on Freeform in a few days – and $20 for the sequel).
But I wouldn’t be surprised if this continues well into the summer and the rest of the year, with a “Sicario” Double Feature, maybe an “Ant-Man” Double Feature – and heck, while we’re at it: let’s close out the year with the “Mary Poppins” duo of films.