BEIJING, CHINA – JULY 24: Moviegoers wear face masks in a screening hall at Wanda cinema almost six months after its closure due to the coronavirus pandemic on July 24, 2020 in Beijing, China. Strict measures including checking health QR codes and body temperatures are enforced to ensure the safety of cinemagoers. Masks will be mandatory and people with a temperature higher than 37.3 degrees Celsius will not be allowed entry. (Photo by Jia Tianyong/China News Service via Getty Images)
Break out the red carpet: AMC and Cinemark are offering the chance to give your friends movie star treatment by renting theaters for private showings.
The coronavirus pandemic has made many people wary of going out to the movies, but what if you had an auditorium just to yourself and your pandemic pod?
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
Starting as $99, AMC and Cinemark are each allowing groups up to 20 to rent out theaters showing a range of movies from Halloween classics to family films to new releases.
At certain AMC locations in Maryland and Virginia, you can watch one of more than 30 titles including “Shrek,” “Tenet,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Conjuring.”
Most older films cost $99 and new releases can cost $149-$349, depending on the time, date and location you choose.
You can make the experience even more special by renting a microphone for $100 or paying the theater an extra $250 to allow for private catering with some restrictions.
The Scene
The most fun things to do and places to be in D.C., Maryland and Virginia
You have to submit a request to book at least one week in advance, AMC says.
Cinemark is letting people get the private showing experience, too.
Catch family favorites like “LEGO Movie” and 1984’s “Ghostbusters” starting at $99 or new releases including “Unhinged” and “The War With Grandpa” starting at $149.
The offer is available at certain theaters in Maryland and Virginia. You can book your private screening online — but plan ahead because many plenty of prime weekend slots were grabbed up fast.
Cinemark is also offering concession deals: $5 for popcorn, $3.50 for a large drink and $2.50 for candy.
Both chains require patrons to wear masks.
For now, no theaters in Washington, D.C., are participating.
