AMC Theatres

AMC Theatres, often just called AMC, is a big company that owns many movie theaters around the world. It is the largest movie theater chain in the United States, Europe, and the whole world.

AMC started in Kansas City, Missouri on December 20, 1920, and grew quickly.

Over the years, AMC bought other theater companies like Odeon Cinemas, UCI Cinemas, and Carmike Cinemas.

The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It faced tough times during the COVID-19 lockdowns, but managed to keep going.

History

AMC Theatres started in 1920 when the Dubinsky brothers bought a theater in Kansas City, Missouri. Over time, they built more theaters, including drive-ins and big theaters with many screens.

In the 1980s, AMC grew and opened theaters in places like the United Kingdom and Japan. In the 1990s, they built very large theaters with many screens. Later, AMC faced hard times, like during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they kept going.

Features

AMC created special seat designs, like cup holders and rows that get higher as you go back. They also made cozy "Love Seat" seats without armrests between pairs of seats. In 2009, AMC started showing movies in digital 3D, and by April 2022, they planned to update most screens with advanced laser projectors.

AMC offers special movie experiences at some theaters, including Dolby Cinema with powerful sound and comfortable seats, and IMAX with very large screens. Other options include large-screen theaters like BigD, and 3D movies using RealD 3D glasses. There are also theaters with moving seats and effects like wind and water called 4DX, and screens that extend onto theater walls known as ScreenX.

AMC has special rewards for people who go to the movies often. The AMC Stubs program lets members earn benefits like discounts and special offers. There are different levels of membership, including a free option, a yearly paid option, and a monthly option. Members also get discounted tickets on Tuesdays and, as of July 2025, Wednesdays too.

Some AMC theaters have a bar area called MacGuffins Bar and Lounge, where drinks can be enjoyed in the bar or taken into the movie theater.

AMC also sells vouchers that can be used for tickets and snacks. These include special discount tickets sold in bulk, gift cards, and snack coupons that can be used at the concession stand.

Banners

After buying Carmike Cinemas, AMC started using three main names for its theaters in 2017.

• AMC is the main name for regular theaters with special features and formats. Some old Loews Cineplex Entertainment theaters still use the Magic Johnson Theatres name as AMC Magic Johnson.
• AMC Classic is for smaller theaters with fewer special features. This name comes from the old Carmike theaters and uses their old logo and slogan, "America's Hometown Cinemas." Some AMC Classic theaters have been updated with better food, new equipment, and comfortable seats.
• AMC Dine-In is for theaters that serve more food, including seats you can reserve and servers who bring your food to your table.

Other endeavors

AMC worked with Planet Hollywood to make special movie theaters, but this did not work because Planet Hollywood had money troubles. Only one of these special theaters opened in Columbus, Ohio in 1999, and it later became a regular AMC theater.

AMC also had movie theaters inside Disney and Universal parks for a while. Today, AMC helps show independent films in theaters and has worked with artists like Chance the Rapper, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé to show their concert films in movie screens. During the COVID-19 pandemic, AMC started selling popcorn online and in stores. In 2022, AMC bought a part of a mining company that works with gold and silver.

Acquisitions

AMC has bought many movie theater chains over the years. In 2002, AMC added theaters from General Cinema Corporation and Gulf States Theaters. In 2006, AMC merged with Loews Cineplex Entertainment, adding even more theaters. AMC kept growing by buying more chains like Kerasotes Showplace Theatres, Starplex Cinemas, Carmike Cinemas, UCI & Odeon Cinema Group, Nordic Cinema Group, and some places from Pacific Theatres and Bow Tie Cinemas. These purchases helped AMC become one of the largest movie theater companies in the world.

Controversies

AMC made changes to seating to help people in wheelchairs watch movies better. At first, the seating made it hard for people in wheelchairs to see the screen. This led to some legal issues. Later, AMC changed its design in new theaters, but still had legal challenges about updating older ones. In 2008, a court decided that AMC did not need to change all its older theaters right away.

In 2017, AMC settled a case about misleading investors regarding the company's finances.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, AMC first said masks would be recommended but not required when reopening theaters. After many people said this was not enough, the company changed its policy to require masks for everyone.