National Cinema Day 2022 Brings $3 Movies

BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN

The Cinema Foundation, a non-profit arm of the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO), announced this year’s National Cinema Day will take place on Saturday, September 3. The day will culminate with a nationwide discount day in more than 3,000 cinemas and on more than 30,000 screens.

Most major chains, including Marcus Theatres, are participating, as are all major film studios. At participating theaters, tickets will be no more than $3 for every screening, in every format. If all goes well, this could become an annual tradition.

Labor Day weekend is traditionally one of the slowest weekends at theaters, with families soaking up the last holiday of summer. Due to low attendance, most studios wait to release new films the following weekend in September. As such, there are no new wide releases scheduled for the weekend of National Cinema Day.

Along with the $3 tickets, participating theaters will show a sizzle reel of upcoming films from A24, Amazon Studios, Disney, Focus Features, Lionsgate, Neon, Paramount, Sony Pictures Classics, Sony, United Artists Releasing, Universal, and Warner Bros. ahead of every screening. The reel serves as a special treat for those participating in National Cinema Day by attending a film in theaters.

This summer marked a somewhat return to form for the summer box office since the pandemic put things to a halt two years ago. As of August 21, the domestic summer box office hit $3.3 billion, only about 20% less than the numbers of 2019.

North Dakota cinemas participating in National Cinema Day include:

BISMARCK

Grand 22 Theatres

FARGO

Century Cinema
West Acres Cinema

GRAND FORKS

AMC Classic Grand Forks 10

HEBRON

Mayer Theater

MAYVILLE

DelChar Theater

MINOT

AMC Dakota Square 9

ROLLA

Curt’s Theater

VALLEY CITY

Valley Twin Cinema