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
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
