AMC Theatres Will Reserve Its Best Seats for A-List and Stubs Premiere Members Starting Later This Year

AMC Theatres is erstwhile again investigating the waters to spot if moviegoers are consenting to wage higher prices for amended seats astatine its theaters.

News of the chain’s plans to revise its seating strategy arrived successful a connection shared by CEO Adam Aron during a caller net telephone (via The Hollywood Reporter). After facing backlash for its now-cancelled Sightline initiative, which would person seen amended seats made much expensive, the movie theatre institution says its preferred premier seating volition reserve spots for A-List and Stubs Premiere members erstwhile it rolls retired aboriginal this year.

“AMC volition present preferred premier seating, wherever we volition artifact and reserve the champion seats successful the location successful our theaters to beryllium accessed archetypal by our A-List and our Stubs Premiere members — that’s the 2 VIP tiers wrong our Stubs programme — astatine nary added charge,” Aron said. “At AMC, we volition guarantee that the champion seats successful our auditoriums are [held] — astatine first, anyhow — for our champion customers. We deliberation it volition beryllium a sizeable user payment that our astir predominant guests volition announcement and greatly appreciate, further cementing their marque loyalty to AMC.”

AMC’s “best customers” are those who wage a premium terms to entree benefits made disposable astatine supported theaters, including size upgrades for concessions, waived fees, rewards points, and, connected the precocious end, entree to 4 movie showings a week. Of its 4 disposable subordinate tiers, Aron says lone its astir costly offerings – the $18/month Premiere Stubs and the $20 to $28/month A-List – volition beryllium capable to instrumentality vantage of preferred seating.

His remark suggests the “best seats” volition yet beryllium made disposable for each movie fans careless of their status. However, it’s unclear however agelong viewers would request to hold to onshore their preferred spots without paying extra.

Meanwhile, notable blockbuster movie experiences often merchantability retired theaters weeks earlier they premiere, with galore others apt to astatine slightest spot spots located successful the mediate of the auditorium filled first. Like Avengers: Endgame earlier it, the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday volition surely spot moviegoers hopping into queues to effort and nab the champion seats. The caller strategy volition marque securing spots opening play adjacent much complicated, particularly for those who can’t spend to walk the other currency for amended seats.

AMC has continued to experimentation with its mentation of the theatre acquisition successful caller years. The institution announced successful 2025 it would beryllium cutting Wednesday summons prices successful fractional successful an effort to capable much auditoriums during the week. It followed that announcement by revealing that viewers would beryllium done much commercials up of their chosen movies earlier yet announcing it would besides beryllium trimming its preshows.

Last February, AMC raised prices for its A-List members portion altering benefits by allowing subscribers to spot 4 movies per week alternatively of three. As the institution introduces its preferred premier seating, it’s unclear if it besides intends to summation prices yet again.

Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images.

Michael Cripe is simply a freelance writer with IGN. He's champion known for his enactment astatine sites similar The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be definite to springiness him a travel connected Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).