You Can Rent An Entire AMC Theater For $99

Because who hasn’t missed the moviegoing experience?

If you’re anything like me, movie theaters still freak you out. The thought of sitting in a large room full of largely mask-less people outside of your #quaranteam (or, COVID bubble), all munching on popcorn and slurping soda amid a global pandemic is not exactly how I prefer to spend my Saturday evenings. But that might just change, thanks to AMC’s new personal screenings.

For $99, AMC is allowing people to rent an entire auditorium for up to 20 moviegoers. They even have an exhaustive list of films from which to choose, from jump-scare-heavy horror flicks, like Annabelle and The Conjuring, and Disney favorites, like Hocus Pocus; to holiday favorites, like The Nightmare Before Christmas, and family friendly films, like Coco and Jurassic Park.

Here’s the catch: Only older films are $99 plus tax. If you want new films, including Tenet, The War with Grandpa, 2 Hearts, Come Play, The Empty Man, The New Mutants, Yellow Rose, and more, those range from $149 to $349 plus tax.

Still sound good to you?

Renting a theater’s an easy, albeit slow process. Simply fill out the form on AMC’s website, including choosing the movie, date and time, and the theater. Then, sit back and wait; according to their website it could take up to three business days for a rep to get back to you.

Also notable about AMC’s private movie-watching experience is each auditorium is branded Safe & Clean, meaning AMC has not only reduced touch points throughout theaters, but they’ve also “stepped up [their] cleaning game].” That includes spraying the auditoriums down with electrostatic disinfectant sprayers, using HEPA filter vacuums nightly, and upgrading their HVAC systems with MERV 13 filters for “superior air quality” — on top of, of course, routinely cleaning and sanitizing handrails, recliner buttons, tray tables, and any other frequently touched surface areas.

According to a recent press release, AMC worked with both Harvard University’s School of Public Health and the Clorox Company to develop Safe & Clean.

“The feedback we’ve received from our guests indicate that our AMC Safe & Clean policies and protocols are working exactly as intended. We’re seeing record-high guest scores for the cleanliness of our theaters, far exceeding the marks we’ve received in the decades we’ve been tracking guest feedback,” said AMC CEO Adam Aron. “AMC Safe & Clean is the cornerstone of our efforts to woo back moviegoers to cinemas.”

AMC isn’t the first theater to offer private screenings — amid the pandemic, at least. Both Alamo Drafthouse and Cinemark began allowing guests to host their own private screening, albeit for a lot more than AMC. Cinemark’s ranged from $99 to $175, while Alamo required guests spend at least $300 ($150 to rent the space and a minimum of $150 in food and drinks).

So, what do you think? Worth the money? Visit AMC’s website for more information and/or to find a participating location to book.