Theater owners plan to add pickleball, ropes courses, and bowling to the moviegoing experience

Cinema chains have joined forces to invest more than $2 billion in multiplexes across the country.

Amid widespread panic over the supposed death of the theatrical film industry, one group of theater chains has developed a solution: pickleball.

The National Association of Theatre Owners, which represents hundreds of theater chains in all 50 states and across more than 100 countries, announced a $2.2 billion pledge Thursday to upgrade the theatrical experience. In addition to updating sound systems, seating, concessions, and laser projection tech, theaters say they plan to invest in building ancillary amenities on theatrical complexes, which could include pickleball courts, bowling alleys, arcades, and ropes courses.

"This investment reflects that commitment in a tangible way that every moviegoer will see and enjoy," NATO president and CEO Michael O'Leary said in a statement. The association's eight largest member chains — AMC Entertainment, Regal Cinemas, Cinemark USA, Cineplex, Marcus Theatres, B&B Theatres, Harkins Theatres, and Santikos Entertainment — pledged more than $2 billion to be implemented over the next three years, with smaller chains and local single-screen venues pledging additional funds.

The past decade has seen massive changes in the theatrical industry, including the shift from film to digital projection, shrinking theatrical release windows, a huge crater in sales caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and theater chains large and small declaring bankruptcy amid a general trend downward in ticket sales.

The unprecedented success of last fall's simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer, dubbed Barbenheimer, was a major boon to the industry, however, and this summer's strong box office continued the trend.

The announcement from NATO not only confirms that the theatrical industry is looking to revitalize, but clarifies how its primary architects plan lock in positive changes. The focus remains the optimization of existing infrastructure as well as sound and image technology, and maintaining an elevated level of cleanliness. But one new area of expansion appears to be non-theatrical amenities.

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Paul Farnsworth, an executive at the B&B Theatres chain, tells Entertainment Weekly that the company is "heavily" investing in "the enhancement of our facilities and theatrical offerings," which includes "non-theatrical in equal measure."

"B&B Theatres has evolved our facilities from small-town movie houses to large-scale luxury entertainment centers," Farnsworth says, pointing to on-site bowling, restaurants, pickleball, bocce ball, and other amenities at locations in several states.

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Emagine Entertainment, which operates theaters in five states in the Midwest, has also already expanded beyond mere moviegoing. "We understand the importance of providing a variety of entertainment experiences beyond just movies," CEO Anthony J. LaVerde tells EW. "This approach not only attracts guests who may not have visited us in a while, but also gives them the chance to discover our exciting new amenities."

Emagine unveiled a podcast studio at its Birmingham, Mich., location this year. Other locations are home to "interactive" bowling alleys, and the Royal Oak, Mich., location operates a Vegas-style sportsbook lounge.

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The NATO announcement declared that the purpose of movie theaters is larger than the simple projection of films to rapt audiences. They are "cornerstones in their local communities, providing first jobs, hosting first dates, offering affordable and accessible entertainment, and attracting consumers to retail and entertainment centers."

Some of the biggest films of the year have yet to premiere. This fall will see the release of the first part of John M. Chu's years-in-the-making Wicked adaptation, as well as Moana 2, Joker: Folie à Deux, and Gladiator II. But with or without tentpole releases, theaters around the country are planning ahead for a brighter future.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.