Why do movies--even across different brand named theater--start at the same time across the city?

Answer 1

There are lots of variables that must be taken into consideration when a movie theatre creates its showtime schedule. When a theatre has booked a particular film from a distributor, the theatre must abide by any contractual obligations that were made in order to secure the film. These obligations could include the number of performances run per day, or the time at which a film starts - Disney is notorious for insisting its films do not start before 7:00pm for its first evening performance. The film's running time, including the trailers, must also be taken into consideration. In order to show a 2 1/2 hour movie twice in one evening, the first show must start early enough to allow for about 1/2 hour from the end of the credits of the first film to the start of the trailers for the second film. This turnaround time allows theatre staff the time to clean the auditorium between performances and gives movie goers time to get seated. The second evening performance time is placed to make its ending time acceptable to the viewing public. Ninety-minute films are usually placed once the harder to schedule longer films have been fitted into their slots. Another consideration is the number of screens the multiplex has. In order to maintain a smooth flow at the box office, showtimes for a particular set are alternated between newer and older films - running length permitting - to keep line-ups at the box office and at the concession counters running smoothly. A film's genre also affects what time it will show at. A movie geared towards seniors is likely to play at 6:50pm and 9:20pm. A Horror film is better off at 7:20pm and 10:00pm. How long a particular film has been playing in the theatre will also affect when it runs. After a film has been out for a few weeks, it may lose its prime placement to a newer release. Or, the theatre may try an 8:00 performance, but this is usually only allowed if the theatre has two or more auditoriums playing the same film. That way, they are making the film accessible to the most number of viewers within the first few weeks of a film's release. Individual complexes within theatre chains are responsible for creating their own showtime schedules. While they may take their competition's showtimes into consideration, they understand what times work best for their location. The single most important factor governing a film's placement in the showtime schedule is its running length.