AMC Movie Tickets Will Cost Only 15 Cents When Theaters Reopen Next Week

It's been decades since you could go to the movies with whatever loose change was in your pocket. But now, as its theaters prepare to reopen following closures due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, select AMC movie tickets will only cost 15 cents for one day only.

Yes, that's right. AMC will be reopening more than 100 movies theaters on Aug. 20, and in honor of this special day, movie tickets will cost 15 cents for just one day only. These prices are reflective of movie prices in the 1920s. which is when the first AMC movie theater opened, the company shared in a recent press release.

The titles shown on Thursday won't be any new major blockbusters; rather, AMC will be showing some throwback movies like Back To The Future, Ghostbusters, Grease, and Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back. As for refreshments and snacks that are notoriously expensive, AMC will be offering an array of food items for $5 each.

Considering the average movie ticket price in the United States is a little under $10, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners, AMC's promotion is certainly enticing. After Thursday, though, AMC Theatres will go back to regular prices and showing new movies like TENET and New Mutants.

"We are thrilled to once again open our doors to American moviegoers who are looking for an opportunity to get out of their houses and apartments and escape into the magic of movies," Adam Aron, CEO and President of AMC Theatres said in a statement. "As our guests return on our first day of resumed operations on Aug. 20, we invite them to join us in celebrating a return to the movies, and in celebrating 100 years of AMC making smiles happen at 1920 prices of only 15 cents each."

With more than 5 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the idea of going to the movies may be worrisome for many families. Dr. Carlos Del Rio, an infectious disease specialist based in Atlanta told CNBC in June that he wouldn't feel comfortable doing so. "I would honestly say I'm not comfortable going to the movies right now," he told the news outlet earlier this summer. "I want to see numbers come down, want to see the cases go down. Right now, the only place I am comfortable going to the movies is in my living room."

The CDC recommends people limit coming in close contact with others, wear a mask in public spaces, and maintain at least six feet of social distancing if they choose to go out. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert said in a June Senate hearing that while going to bars is a bad idea, people should still find a way to have fun in the safest way possible. "We've got to be able to get people to get out and enjoy themselves within the safe guidelines that we have," he said, according to CNN. "Make public health work for you as opposed to against you."

AMC has updated its health and safety policies for all theaters. Moviegoers will be required to wear a mask inside of theaters when they are not eating or drinking during the movie. Guests will also be required to space themselves out in the seats inside of the theater, and every other row will be blocked off to ensure social distancing. Auditoriums will be disinfected before each movie and high touch areas will be regularly cleaned to ensure guests' safety. You can find the full list of AMC Theatres and reopening dates here.