Lawmaker Submits A Bill Requiring Movie Theaters To Include Actual Start Times

One US lawmaker is demanding a major change for cinema programming by submitting a bill that calls upon movie theater owners to begin listing the exact time that a film begins. Within 2024, the domestic box-office took a hit from a lighter schedule in the wake of industrial actions taken in 2023, leading to it becoming the first post-COVID 19 pandemic year to not perform better than the previous year. However, with the strange trend of novelty popcorn buckets and a 2025 slate including Superman, Saw XI, and Wicked: For Good, there is much optimism among audiences about 2025’s theatrical offerings.

As first reported by People, US Democratic Party Lawmaker Martin Mooney has turned his attention to the practices of Cinemas with a bill that demands a change to their programming. The State Senator of New Haven, Connecticut submitted bill no. 797 on January 21, demanding that theaters either ensure future listings for movies have an accurate time for when the movie begins, or advertise several times when the previews start and the actual movie begins. Mooney likened audiences having to sit through previews as “An abuse of people’s time”.

What Mooney’s Bill Could Mean For Cinemagoers

While Exclusive To Connecticut Currently, Potential Following Bills Could Meet Resistance

While it could mark a major way in how theaters operate, it is unlikely that Mooney’s bill will have a nationwide effect anytime soon. Mooney’s proposed bill was submitted to the Connecticut General ᴀssembly rather than Congress, meaning that should it go ahead, it would only impact theaters within the state.

However, should similar bills be submitted elsewhere, it could attract the attention of several parties. With audiences gathered in theaters for an average of 20–25 minutes, advertisers have a good opportunity to sell their product, be it the cinema itself advertising concessions, a studio previewing a new trailer, or another large corporation advertising their product. As such, it is likely a larger movement could prompt resistance from these bodies.

Our Thoughts On Mooney’s Screening Time Bill

There Is Still An Appeal To See Movie Previews In Theaters


Homelander (Anthony Starr) looking angry in a movie theater in The Boys.

While the practice of sharing trailers online gives audiences a glimpse of what’s coming to the big screen, the practice of pre-show adverts is still alive and well. As audiences have grown more familiar with studio promotional practices, many have come to predict which releases may have certain trailers attached to them. Furthermore, there is still an appeal to seeing a trailer on the big screen, as it can give cinemagoers a preview of how their most highly-anticipated movies will look on the big screen, be it a standard presentation of a more expansive IMAX preview.

However, for cinemagoers less invested, many may find themselves agreeing with Mooney’s proposal, be it the outright demand to feature an exact starting time on a listing only or feature an additional time for both the previews and the actual start. It remains to be seen whether Mooney’s bill will receive approval, but it could mark a major change for movie theaters, should it gain prominence.

Source: People

Related Posts

The Western Movie Gunslinger Who May Be Even Faster Than Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name

The Western Movie Gunslinger Who May Be Even Faster Than Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name

The Trinity movies feature a character who could rival Clint Eastwood’s The Man With No Name for the тιтle of the fastest gun in the West. Sergio…

Sovereign Review: I Was Speechless After Nick Offerman & Jacob Tremblay’s Disquieting True Story Crime Thriller

Sovereign Review: I Was Speechless After Nick Offerman & Jacob Tremblay’s Disquieting True Story Crime Thriller

When a movie dramatizes a real tragedy, there needs to be care and tact put into how it presents itself. From dramas to thrillers based on true…

Disney’s Remake Of A 3 Million Phenomenon Comes Out 1 Year From Now

Disney’s Remake Of A $643 Million Phenomenon Comes Out 1 Year From Now

Disney live-action remakes tend to be made years, if not decades, after the original’s release. From Snow White‘s live-action remake, which was released 88 years after the…

How Dean Cain Became The Least Popular Superman

How Dean Cain Became The Least Popular Superman

Dean Cain has returned to the spotlight again after the release of James Gunn’s Superman, and the online reaction makes it clear just how unpopular he’s become….

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Has Already Fixed These 9 Mistakes From 2015’s Fantastic Four Before It’s Even Released

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Has Already Fixed These 9 Mistakes From 2015’s Fantastic Four Before It’s Even Released

The Fantastic Four: First Steps has not even been released yet, but it’s already fixed these nine big issues with 2015’s Fantastic Four. The latter counts as…

Kurt Russell’s Sci-Fi Bomb Was Actually A Stealth Remake Of An Era-Defining Western

Kurt Russell’s Sci-Fi Bomb Was Actually A Stealth Remake Of An Era-Defining Western

Kurt Russell’s cult favorite Soldier was a bomb back in 1998, and also acted as a remake of a beloved Western. There aren’t that many Kurt Russell…