Exact time you need to arrive at cinemas to avoid adverts and trailers – see the full list including Cineworld and Odeon
ONCE you’ve bought your ticket and bagged your popcorn, it can feel like a rush to get to your cinema seat in time for the film to start.
But infrequent film-goers may not realise that they may actually be waiting beyond the time stated on their ticket for the movie to begin.
This is because adverts and trailers can sometimes run for up to 45 minutes before the film begins.
MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis previously tweeted that he waited 33 minutes beyond the film’s started start time for it to actually begin.
Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “Went to cinema yest for 8:45pm showing, but it was 9:17 before the film actually started.
“Cinemas, we pay to see films! Fine show 5/10min of ads and trailers, but this inflation to 33 minutes isn’t on.”
With this in mind, what time should you be getting to the cinema to make the start of your movie?
The Sun checked the UK’s major cinemas chains to see how long they expect adverts to run until the main showing begins.
Cineworld
Cineworld has 100 cinemas across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Movie fans flocking to one of its branches can expect to sit through between 20 and 45 minutes of adverts before the actual film begins, according to its website.
The firm adds: “We ask customers to collect their tickets at least 20 minutes before performance to make the most of their visit.”
Odeon
Film buffs heading to Odeon can expect to see between 15 and 25 minutes of adverts before the film, its website states.
It reads: “Advert and trailer length is typically 15-25 minutes, however varies with each performance, and can be considerably less.
“We always recommend to avoid disappointment you arrive with enough time to enter the screen at the scheduled performance start time.”
Adverts are shorter for Odeon kids film screenings, which take place on Saturday and Sunday mornings and throughout school holidays.
Odeon has around 116 cinemas across the UK and you can find your nearest one by using the locator tool on its website.
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GET A MEMBERSHIP
If you always go to the same cinema, look to sign up to a membership scheme.
With a myOdeon free membership, you can get tickets from just £5 on selected showings.
Just pop into the website to sign up. To spot the cheaper showings, look out for the banner myOdeon Saver.
But if you’re a regular visitor, you could save even more with the chain’s myLimitless scheme. This allows you to see unlimited 2D movies from £14.99 a month.
Standard adult tickets are around £11.50, so you could save just by watching more than one film.
Cineworld’s Unlimited membership ranges from £10.99 a month to £21.90 depending on where you live and which cinemas are included.
If your local cinema is independent, it’s worth asking what schemes they run and compare the price with an individual ticket to see if it’s worthwhile.
LOOK OUT FOR DEALS
Sign up to your local cinema’s newsletter or app to find out about special events and promotions.
These can be held sporadically throughout the year, so it’s always worth keeping an eye out.
Cineworld has previously offered one-off £3 tickets for Imax screenings for example, as well as deals on its food and drink.
JOIN A LOYALTY SCHEME
Meerkat Movies gives customers two-for-one tickets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for a year if they buy a qualifying product at comparethemarket.com.
Tesco Clubcard holders double the value of vouchers if buying a Cineworld unlimited pass.
A Club Lloyds current account gets you six free tickets a year at Vue or Odeon.
Sky Cinema customers get two free Vue tickets each month, while O2 customers get two Vue tickets for £9 through its priority scheme.
BUY YOUR OWN SNACKS
Cinema nibbles can be a massive rip-off. Most cinemas will let you take in your own snacks.
You could make your own pick ‘n’ mix bags by buying sweets from the supermarket
Everyman
Everyman plays 25 minutes of adverts and trailers before each film screening.
Its website reads: “The length of ads and trailers varies for special events and it can be between 15 and 40 minutes, subject to type of event.”
The cinema chain has 45 branches across the UK including in cities like Leeds, Liverpool and London.
Showcase
Showcase has 16 cinemas across the UK, including in Nottingham, Glasgow and Southampton.
Writing on X in 2013, the chain said that its trailer run for about 20 minutes.
Another tweet from the firm in 2023 said its trailers can run for up to 25 minutes.
The cinema advised the customer to contact the branch they were visiting to find out the film’s exact start time.
Vue
Vue has 92 cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland, with a total of 876 screens.
The chain shows a maximum of 30 minutes of adverts and trailers for upcoming films, according to its website.
It reads: “We recommend that you ensure you are in your seats prior to the start of the actual film.
“The published start time of a film includes the adverts and trailers.”
Picture House
Picture House, which is owned by Cineworld, has 28 cinemas across the country.
In response to a tweet, the chain said it shows an average of 20 minutes of adverts and trailers for each movie.
Curzon
Curzon shows around 20 minutes of adverts before the film begins, it’s website states.
However, certain live events, like screenings of West End shows, don’t feature trailers.
The chain has 16 cinemas across the country, including in Colchester, London and Sheffield.
We reveal four cash-saving hacks to cut the costs of going to the cinema.
Plus, a huge cinema chain with 100 branches is reviewing its business operations and a number of branches could be at “risk of closure“.
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