Getty Little Women opens in theaters on Christmas Day 2019.
Although most businesses are closed on December 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday, many movie theaters nationwide will be open to accommodate audiences throughout the day and on Christmas Eve. If you’re interested in including a trip to the movies in your Christmas 2019 plans, here’s what you need to know:
Movie theater chains open for Christmas include Regal Cinemas, AMC, and Cinemark, and many independently-owner cinemas will stay open for the holiay, too. Find a Regal Cinema near you using their full list of theater locations here. Find an AMC movie theater near you using their location finder here. Cinemark’s full list of movie theaters, sorted by state, can be found here.
While seeing movies in theater is a part of many families’ holiday traditions, in part because movie theaters are one of the few businesses that stay open for the holiday, make sure to check the theater nearest you’s hours to confirm that they are open and that they are playing the movie you want to see at a time that works with your other holiday plans.
‘Little Women’ & ‘1917’ Are Just 2 of the Movies Opening in Theaters on Christmas Day
This Christmas, December 25 is the theatrical release date for four new movies: Little Women, 1917, Just Mercy, and Spies in Disguise. The star-studded Little Women, directed by Greta Gerwig, was particularly hyped up ahead of the holiday season, so expect that many theaters will be playing it at several different show times on Christmas Day.
In the days leading up to the Christmas holiday, a number of big-budget films have opened in theaters, and will also be playing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, for example, is playing at 21 different showtimes in the Regal Cinema in Times Square, New York on Christmas. The movie opened in theaters on December 20.
Frozen 2, the sequel to the megahit Disney animated feature, had its theatrical release on November 22, but will be playing in many theaters as a family-friendly film option for Christmas Day.
While Cats was met with a chilly reception by critics and movie-goers when it opened on December 20, the movie musical is still in theaters and will play on Christmas Eve and Day.
Releasing New Movies in Theaters Started With ‘Road to Rio’ in 1947
According to MentalFloss.com, the concept of releasing new movies on Christmas Day began in 1947, when Paramount made the risky decision to release Road to Rio, starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, on December 25.
Since then, a number of blockbusters and award contenders have come out on or around Christmas Day, including Titanic and Avengers: Endgame.
Having a movie in theaters for Christmas is a smart move not only because many families looking for something to do outside of the house on Christmas have few options other than going to the movies, but because the holiday often includes days off from school or work and an increase in family time. Even if a family doesn’t want to go to the movies on Christmas, it’s reasonable to expect that they will include a trip to their local movie theater as a holiday season family activity.
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Are Movie Theaters Open on Christmas Eve & Day 2019?