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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteYes, zip lines and pickleball were reported as possible additions at some movie theaters—but they were not the central promise of the $2.2 billion plan, and no evidence here confirms which locations have opened either attraction. On September 19, 2024, eight major U.S. and Canadian chains announced plans to invest more than $2.2 billion in theater modernization over three years. Their official examples focused mainly on better projection, sound, seating, concessions and building upgrades.
What did the $2.2 billion announcement actually promise?
The National Association of Theatre Owners, now known as Cinema United, said on September 19, 2024, that eight large North American theater chains planned to invest more than $2.2 billion in modernization over the following three years. The association said the chains represented more than 21,000 screens and 67% of the box office. That was a combined plan across the participating companies—not $2.2 billion per chain, and not a budget earmarked for zip lines or pickleball. Cinema United’s announcement described investment in cinema improvements and other theater amenities.
The eight participating chains
- AMC Entertainment
- Regal Cinemas
- Cinemark USA
- Cineplex
- Marcus Theatres
- B&B Theatres
- Harkins Theatres
- Santikos Entertainment
Cinema United said the companies that reported their figures operated more than 1,600 locations across the United States and Canada. The association’s announcement framed the plan as a response to competition for customers’ leisure spending. Its president and CEO, Michael O’Leary, said movie fans still value seeing films on the big screen, while competition for consumers’ spending is “fiercer than ever.”
Were theaters really planning zip lines and pickleball?
Those attractions appeared in contemporaneous news coverage, not in the association’s official list of planned upgrades. Gizmodo, citing Variety, reported that some theaters intended to add zip lines, bowling alleys and pickleball courts. That wording matters: the examples applied to some theaters, not necessarily all eight chains or every location. Gizmodo’s report discussed the unusual attractions alongside the wider modernization plans.
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The official announcement instead named broad upgrade categories: laser projection, immersive sound, more comfortable seating, improved food and beverage, family entertainment such as arcades and bowling, and practical building improvements including air conditioning, lighting, signage and carpeting. Cinema United’s list makes clear that the investment was principally about refreshing theaters, with entertainment additions among several possibilities.
What has happened since the 2024 pledge?
Later Cinema United updates show that theater owners continued to report major reinvestment, but those totals do not verify completion of every project in the original three-year plan—or establish that zip lines and pickleball courts opened.
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| Update | What Cinema United reported | What the figure establishes |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | More than $1.5 billion in North American theater reinvestment in the preceding year, including $920 million from the eight largest circuits. | A reported reinvestment total for the year covered by the update; it is not proof that any particular attraction opened. Cinema United, September 2025 |
| October 1, 2026 | $2.7 billion in North American theater reinvestment over two years, including $1.8 billion from the eight largest circuits and $840 million from them in the latest year. | A broader reported two-year reinvestment total, not an itemized accounting of the original pledge or its attractions. Cinema United, October 1, 2026 |
The 2025 and 2026 figures describe industry reinvestment, while the 2024 figure was an announced three-year investment plan by eight chains. They are related signs of spending on theaters, but they are not interchangeable measures of the same projects.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to tell what a local theater actually offers
The national announcement does not identify locations with a zip line or pickleball court. If you are choosing a venue, check its current location page or call before making plans, and distinguish between a confirmed amenity and an announced category of investment. For a useful comparison, look separately at:
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- Core cinema: projection, sound, screen and seating.
- Food and hospitality: concessions, dining and beverage options.
- Other activities: arcades, bowling, pickleball, zip lines or other attractions.
- Availability: whether the specific location lists the amenity as open now, rather than merely associated with a chain’s broader plans.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
