It's a good time to be a Boston moviegoer as Alamo opens, theaters expand
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A new outpost of the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater chain opens in the Seaport next month, bringing Boston cinephiles another movie house to see new and classic films.
Why it matters: The opening, along with the expansion of the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, are signs that movie theaters aren't dying — at least not in Boston.
What's happening: After a monthslong wait, the Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse will open at 60 Seaport Blvd in October, the theater's management told Axios.
- 10 screening rooms will come equipped with 4K digital projectors and each will seat between 63 to 116 people.
- The chain, which touts a "for movie lovers, by movie lovers" ethos, doesn't show ads before films and hosts festivals, special screenings and curated features.
Catch up quick: The COVID-19 pandemic hit the movie theater industry hard.
- The new Alamo is moving into the space once occupied by the Showplace Icon Theatre that closed in 2021.
- The ArcLight Cinemas on Causeway Street, part of another chain dedicated to a premium film experience, closed in 2020.
Yes, but: Industry revenues have bounced back in 2023 as audiences returned in droves for cinema experiences like the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon.
Reality check: This year's industry box office projections are still below 2018 and 2019 numbers, Axios' Tim Baysinger reported.
What they're saying: "I don't see a huge difference from three or four years ago because I'm seeing movie fans come back and be super excited and really appreciative of the magic of what this is," Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League told Axios on a recent visit to the new Seaport space.
The big picture: The post-pandemic success of chains like Alamo that prioritize a higher-end customer experience illustrates much about where cinema is going in the age of streaming.
- Alamo previously told Axios it has been surpassing its 2019 sales. It has added locations nationwide for a total of nearly 40 with plans for more.
Over in Brookline, the Harvard Street skyline is changing as the 90-year-old nonprofit Coolidge Corner Theatre expands. The $12.5 million project will add two new screening rooms and a community education center.
- A new entrance, box office, lobby and concessions area are also in the works, plus a catering kitchen, media library and roof deck upstairs.
Meanwhile, the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square, another nonprofit, remains the area's go-to arthouse, hosting recent hits, film classics and curated series.
- The Brattle installed a new 22-speaker surround sound system this year.
Be smart: In what will be a new phenomenon to most Boston cinemagoers, Alamo customers can order food and drinks via paper slips handed off to staff.
- The chain has a strict "no phones" policy to minimize distraction and noise during the movie.
- Customers can tattle on fellow movie-goers who violate the policy to staff with the same forms used for food orders.