Major Theater Chains and Their Thanksgiving Hours
Most major movie theater chains in the United States remain open on Thanksgiving Day, but with reduced schedules compared to regular weekend hours. AMC Theatres, the largest theater chain in the country by number of locations, typically opens at noon and closes around 10:00 PM on Thanksgiving, with select locations offering extended hours for evening shows. Regal Cinemas, which operates over 500 locations across the U.S., also opens on Thanksgiving, usually starting screenings in the early afternoon and running until late evening, though specific times vary by individual theater and local demand. Cinemark follows a similar pattern, opening several locations on Thanksgiving Day, primarily for evening showtimes, while some theaters in high-traffic shopping centers may offer midday screenings. Forbes provides a regularly updated guide to theater Thanksgiving hours based on chain announcements each year.
Independent and smaller theater chains often have more varied Thanksgiving schedules, with some choosing to close entirely while others align their hours with major chains to capture holiday traffic. Studio movie theaters located inside shopping malls sometimes adjust their opening times based on mall hours, which can differ significantly from standalone locations. The number of screens showing movies on Thanksgiving has increased steadily over the past decade, driven by studios releasing major holiday films and families seeking entertainment options during the long weekend. Box office tracking companies report that Thanksgiving Day now accounts for a meaningful share of the four-day holiday weekend total, with early afternoon and evening shows typically selling out first at popular locations.
New and Returning Films Playing on Thanksgiving
Studios traditionally schedule major releases around Thanksgiving to capture family audiences and holiday travelers, with several wide-release titles typically opening each year. In recent years, animated family films and large-scale action franchises have dominated the Thanksgiving Day lineup, with studios coordinating marketing campaigns to ensure these titles are the primary draw on the holiday. Box Office Mojo tracks real-time Thanksgiving Day box office results and provides data on per-theater averages across different chains and regions. The Thanksgiving Day box office has grown to represent a significant portion of the overall November revenue, with some years showing that the holiday contributed more than 15% of the total monthly domestic gross for the industry.
Returning franchise installments and family-oriented sequels tend to perform strongest on Thanksgiving Day, as these titles align with the multi-generational audience that attends movies during the holiday. Studios often release their most family-friendly trailers and marketing materials ahead of Thanksgiving to position these films as the default choice for holiday outings. The Numbers provides detailed box office forecasts and historical Thanksgiving performance data that analysts use to predict which titles will lead the holiday weekend. The combination of new releases and holdover films from the prior weekend creates a diverse slate of options, with theaters typically running a mix of early and late showtimes to accommodate different family schedules.
Planning Your Thanksgiving Movie Outing
Tickets for Thanksgiving Day screenings tend to sell faster than regular weekday shows, particularly for evening times at popular locations near shopping centers and tourist areas. Major theater chains offer online booking platforms and mobile apps that allow customers to check real-time seat availability and purchase tickets in advance, reducing wait times at the box office. Fandango provides theater-specific Thanksgiving showtimes and ticket purchasing for most major chains across the United States. Price variations between Thanksgiving Day and regular weekend screenings are typically minimal, though premium formats such as IMAX and Dolby Cinema may carry higher ticket prices year-round.
Concession sales on Thanksgiving Day follow a similar pattern to other high-traffic moviegoing occasions, with popcorn, drinks, and bundled snack options generating a significant share of theater revenue during the holiday. Theater operators