# How do I find out when a movie will end its run in a given IMAX theater? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356 "2010-01-10T03:28:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/1 "2010-01-10T03:28:02Z")
I want to see Avatar in IMAX 3D, but I’m in no particular hurry. There are still lines starting an hour before the show and going outside and around the theater. I’d rather see it in a near empty theater where I don’t have to wait in line and I get to select the best seats in the house. However, I don’t want to miss it in IMAX 3D. How do I know when a particular movie will stop its run in a given theater, particularly on an IMAX screen? Is this a fixed or variable parameter, i.e. pre-determined or determined based on demand in previous/current week? Specifics: AMC/California. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/2 "2010-01-10T04:32:41Z")
For a major exhibitor like AMC, their regional film office will usually decide by Tuesday how the screens of a particular theater will be distributed for that following Friday (typically the day when new movies start). By Wednesday, this usually will be in their ticketing system, which means going to their website or a general ticketing website like Fandango and pulling up the listing for that Friday will tell you what’s in the IMAX theater for the next week. Generally speaking, they very rarely plan that much farther ahead, though you can sometimes anticipate (with no assurances) that a run will last X number of weeks if you examine upcoming releases and see which IMAX-friendly films are coming up (which will usually guarantee an opening weekend slot) and how much time you have before then. I’m assuming you’re talking about the Mercado 20? I opened that theater back in the day… ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/3 "2010-01-10T04:53:58Z")
It’s a safe bet Avatar can be found in Imax 3D up until at least the first week of March, which is when it will likely be replaced by the first big movie 3D release of the year: Alice in Wonderland. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/4 "2010-01-10T05:56:30Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > I’m assuming you’re talking about the Mercado 20? I opened that theater back in the day… Yes. That’s pretty neat! ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/5 "2010-01-10T17:13:37Z")
There’s usually an IMAX website that lists what’s showing, is going to show, and the dates. I know I’ve been blasted previously for making this outrageous suggestion, and forgive me for being a clueless old fashioned fogey, but - couldn’t you make a phone call to the place you want to see that movie and, you know, ask them? (they might have a recorded message with information). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/6 "2010-01-10T17:23:58Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I know I’ve been blasted previously for making this outrageous suggestion, and forgive me for being a clueless old fashioned fogey, but - couldn’t you make a phone call to the place you want to see that movie and, you know, ask them? (they might have a recorded message with information). That’s the first thing that occurred to me. Why wouldn’t you just give them a call? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/7 "2010-01-10T18:16:01Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > That’s the first thing that occurred to me. Why wouldn’t you just give them a call? Most chains like that throw you into a phone tree, or a listing of all the films (in his case, 20 screens) before you get a second phone # that’s a direct line. And then, that line will typically go to some teenager in the box office, who won’t necessarily know and have to transfer you to a manager who, depending on the time of day, may be on the floor and not in the office where they would take the call. As someone who was a manager of the exact theater he’s talking about, he’s much better off doing a little research himself than trying to call. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/8 "2010-01-11T01:42:30Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > It’s a safe bet Avatar can be found in Imax 3D up until at least the first week of March, which is when it will likely be replaced by the first big movie 3D release of the year: Alice in Wonderland. I checked their site and the only films listed coming soon were that and "Hubble 3D’ on March 19. The latter will like be at museums that have IMAX. ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/9 "2010-01-11T14:22:27Z")
From my time in a theater, calling won’t help - for one thing, our call tree only talked about this week; secondly it didn’t give a number where you could reach a live person, and thirdly, I doubt that even the manager would have more than a good guess (and anyone below that, a bad guess). ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/10 "2010-01-13T18:58:35Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > It’s a safe bet Avatar can be found in Imax 3D up until at least the first week of March, which is when it will likely be replaced by the first big movie 3D release of the year: Alice in Wonderland. This is the correct answer. – **commasense** , professional IMAX expert. (Really.) As for **salinqmind** ’s apparently sensible suggestion of calling, theater managers at the major chains have no role in bookings decisions, and often have no idea, more than about a week or two in advance, when any given film will finish its run. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/11 "2010-01-13T21:24:46Z")
**Red Barchetta** and **commasense** nailed it. A) The next scheduled IMAX release is Alice in Wonderland on March 5th. B) If Avatar completely tanks in the next few weeks (not likely), it _is_ possible that the particular theater you are talking about might switch to another film from the back catalogue. Since the Mercado 20 is a digital IMAX theater, this is extremely unlikely. The only way to find out for sure, however, would be to call the theater or check the newspaper ad for that particular week. For the record, **TheBoltEater** may also be considered an expert in general IMAX knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/12 "2010-01-13T21:26:27Z")
Our IMAX theater sells tickets online so you don’t have to wait for tickets. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/13 "2010-01-13T21:28:22Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > **Red Barchetta** and **commasense** nailed it. > > A) The next scheduled IMAX release is Alice in Wonderland on March 5th. > > B) If Avatar completely tanks in the next few weeks (not likely), it _is_ possible that the particular theater you are talking about might switch to another film from the back catalogue. Since the Mercado 20 is a digital IMAX theater, this is extremely unlikely. The only way to find out for sure, however, would be to call the theater or check the newspaper ad for that particular week. > > For the record, **TheBoltEater** may also be considered an expert in general IMAX knowledge. I agree with **TheBoltEater** ’s point B and vouch for his bona fides as an IMAX expert. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/14 "2010-01-13T22:21:00Z")
Thanks for your responses. Let’s say Avatar totally tanks (which I think is highly unlikely, having seen it for the first time last night), and for next week’s show only 12 people show up per screening, would a theater keep running the movie till the next IMAX film comes out, or would they prefer to pull the movie and show nothing at the IMAX screen until the new movie comes out? In other words, what’s the marginal cost per screening? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/15 "2010-01-14T06:02:15Z")
They’d keep it on the schedule, but they might add other films, too. (There’s no percentage in letting the theater go dark. Better a little something than nothing.) Last summer, when _Harry Potter 6_ tanked in IMAX theaters (because they theyt didn’t get it until a few weeks after it opened in conventional theaters), many brought back _Star Trek_, which had only had a two-week run earlier that year, and the documentary _Under the Sea 3D_, which had had a limited release in March. But they kept _Harry Potter_; it just didn’t have 100% of the schedule anymore. Something like that could happen in February if _Avatar_’s popularity unaccountably drops off. As you say, there’s no sign of that happening so far. But it’s harder to figure what films might be added in. _This Is It_, perhaps? What do you think, **TheBoltEater**? ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/16 "2010-01-14T21:01:52Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > What do you think, **TheBoltEater**? Hard to say. _Star Trek_ last year was a perfect but unique fit - its 2 week limited engagement made it a natural fit for a return. It seems to me that there’s no recent film that could fill the same role for Avatar. _This is It_ seems like the best idea; not that I necessarily think it will return, but it is somewhat possible that another film could also be released _in digital theaters only_ for a limited engagement in late February. If you don’t live in an area with a traditional 70mm film IMAX theater you might not know this, but both _This is It_ and _The Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience_ were only released to digital IMAX Theaters. Since DKP/70mm Inc. (the post-production wing of IMAX) screens every single reel of every print they produce, they need considerable lead time to complete the digital remastering process and make and screen the prints. Last minute additions like _This is It_ can make it through the DMR (digital remastering) process, but not film printing as well. In short (too late, I know), there could be a digital-theater-only limited engagement of something if Avatar tanks. Traditional IMAX theaters (film theaters) could throw on something from their back catalogue if they wish - many theaters own older prints of 45 minute science documentaries that they can add in to their schedule just to stay on screen. Finally, some IMAXes in movie theater complexes have 35mm projectors as well, and could simply run a film like _Shutter Island_ for a week or two, advertised as something along the lines of “See it on our Giant Screen!” I’ve seen it and it looks just awful, but some people seem to like it - though, of course, IMAX hates it. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-when-a-movie-will-end-its-run-in-a-given-imax-theater/524356/17 "2010-01-14T21:30:32Z")
In a strange bit of timing… > [@](#): > > January 14, 2010–IMAX Corporation, Marvel Entertainment, and Paramount Pictures today announced that Iron Man 2, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Robert Downey, Jr., will be released to digital IMAX theaters simultaneously with the film’s worldwide release on May 7, 2010. Iron Man 2, the sequel to Marvel’s Iron Man, will be distributed by Paramount Pictures. Not a late-February release, obviously, but notice that this release is scheduled for digital IMAX only.