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By Kayla DeKraker
One unlikely duo just teamed up to get people back into movie theaters. TikTok and Fandango will now offer in-app ticket purchases beginning with the film TRON: ARES.
“This Fandango integration seamlessly connects the magic of discovery on TikTok with real-world moviegoing, offering our passionate FilmTok community an effortless way to turn inspiration into immediate action,” said Isaac Bess, TikTok’s global head of distribution partnerships.
He added, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Fandango on our first movie ticketing integration powered by TikTok Spotlight, enhancing fan engagement and giving audiences a seamless path from discovery to the big screen.”
TikTok claims that over half of users learned about a new film because of the platform, and 36% are “inspired to take action.” So, TikTokers can now simply click “Get Tickets” which will “seamlessly connect them to Fandango’s ticketing flow” so they can snag seats at a theater near them.
Related: Fandango Combines FandangoNow and Vudu, Becomes Official Movie & TV Store for Roku
“At Fandango, our mission has always been to connect fans with the movies they love, wherever they are,” said Fandango’s Claire Ripsteen, SVP of marketing and partnerships, said of the collaboration. “[It is] a powerful step in meeting audiences in their daily digital lives, making it easier to turn the excitement of discovering a movie into the instant gratification of securing your tickets in advance, with no lines and no waiting.”
TRON: ARES, which releases Oct. 10 and stars Jared Leto, will be the first select theater title that users can purchase tickets for through TikTok.
The movie follows “a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.”
Many in the entertainment industry are working hard to keep the theater business alive.
In March, the New York Times reported, “Since 2019, the number of screens operating in the United States has declined 12 percent, to 36,369 as of 2023.”
Earlier this year, John Fithian, co-founder of consulting firm The Fithian Group, advised, “We need to find a way to get people back into the habit of going to theaters. You can’t stay stuck in a 100-year-old way of doing business — that’s not going to work anymore.”
Theaters are getting creative as they offer ticket and snack incentives to try to win the public back in a world where streaming has become the go-to. Reaching new audiences through platforms like TikTok might be part of the key to success. But will social media really be the one to save movie theaters? Only time will tell.
Read Next: Are Movie Theaters On Their Way Out?
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