The new Bill could force cinemas to change the start times; Here’s what it means for you

There is no doubt that you found yourself sitting through what looks like an eternity of trailer and announcements before the film starts. It could be about 20-30 minutes of pre-show advertising and most films of films know that they can present themselves at least 20 minutes after advertised start time and go well.

Well, a new Connecticut bill is trying to change some things, potentially remodeling the way cinemas operate nationally.

State senator Martin Looney introduced the legislation on January 21, 2025, which would require cinema to list not only the start time of the film, but also when the pre-show (trailer and announcements) begins and ends. Obviously he hates advertising and trailers.

The idea is to give the public the choice to skip the pre-show and present yourself just in time for the main function. Once again, the empirical rule is 20 minutes, so if an audience wants to skip all that shit, they can.

Although this may seem like a victory for some frustrated spectators, it is worried about the theater owners, especially smaller and independent cinematographic that depend on pre-show advertising revenues to survive.

Most of the main chains already provide vague estimates on pre-show lengths, but this account would make a precise timing for all theaters mandatory. And this is where things become complicated.

Pre-show advertising is not just a filling, it is a flow of crucial revenue. Digital projectors can cost up to $ 150,000 per screen and maintenance in progress is not cheap. For many theaters, the money of these ads help to keep the lights on.

Then there is the topic that the pre-show builds the excitement. Studies rely on trailers to generate buzz and, for many, the experience of seeing those previews on the big screen is part of the fun.

But we are honest, in the last ten years, the pre-shows have gone longer and the number of advertisements not related to the film has risen to the stars. In addition, most of the fans of cinema captures the online trailers before seeing it on the big screen.

The fact is that people have a choice. If they want to present themselves for the pre-show to look at the trailers on the big screen, they can. Otherwise, they can jump it, just like many people do now.

Regardless of this, the independent theaters, which already operate with thin margins, could be affected more hard. If the advertisers retire because the public starts to skip the pre-show, that financial pillow disappears. And for a sector that is still fighting after losing over 3,000 screens since 2020, this could be devastating.

Here is the thing, people are already sdking of these pre-shows. When I go to a movie, they are normally there in time and I have no problems sitting in the pre-show, but while I am sitting there in almost empty theaters, the crowd does not start to accumulate until the right before the film starts.

But perhaps these tips could change things. In addition to Connecticut, the bill could establish a precedent for other states. If similar reads earn traction, it could force a wider change in the way theaters operate nationally.

While transparency sounds perfectly for consumers, if advertisements are extracted, theaters could respond by increasing ticket prices or cutting staff to recover lost advertising revenues.

At the end of the day, this bill concerns the choice and gives the public more control over their time to the theater. I just think it’s a choice they have already had and are already excluding it.

What do you think? Do the pre-show already jump? Listing the times of the pre-show and the film influenced when you present yourself at the theater?