San Antonio movie theaters say ‘Spider-Man’ sales are exceeding pre-pandemic numbers

Fan interest in Spider-Man: No Way Home put a stress on the web that was felt nationwide as movie-goers rushed ticket sites on Monday to secure their seats. San Antonio movie theaters say the local excitement matched the national hype for what is expected to be a blockbuster. 

Andrew Brooks, executive director of sales and marketing for Santikos, says the theater faced a burst of buying which crashed or slowed ticket sites throughout the U.S., including AMC and Fandango. He tells MySA the Alamo City’s “demand is super crazy” for the film starring Tom Holland as Spider-Man. Unlike other theaters, Brooks says Santikos was “was much more well-prepared” than their competition and was able to sustain the presale excitement. 

Brooks compares the current buzz to that of Avengers: Endgame, the April 2019 Marvel mega-blockbuster. 

“We’re seeing the same amount, if not more,” he adds. “The demand has been absolutely outstanding.”

Currently, showtimes to catch the new movie on Thursday, December 16, are still available across Santikos’ 10-theater network. He says there will be 700 Santikos showings throughout opening weekend and expects the booking team to add more. 

“San Antonio demand has been just as high as nationwide if not higher,” he adds. “Our staff is excited, it’s kind of a get back to normal.”

Brooks says Santikos does not disclose ticket sales numbers. 

Bradley Smith, managing partner of City Base Cinemas, says tickets are “selling out left and right” at the Southside theater. Unlike Santikos, Smith says the independent theater faced some issues when presales started early Monday. 

He says he fielded calls from frustrated customers who were unable to secure tickets for about two hours, but adds that the process has smoothed out. Smith says City Base will add a new showtime as a theater nears 100 guests. 

Smith says he’s happy to see movie-goers eager to return to the big screen after seeing his theater mirror a “desert” at this point last year due to the pandemic

As of press time, Spiderman: No Way Home tickets are still available at AMC, Cinemark, Regal, Alamo Drafthouse and Flix Brewhouse locations in San Antonio. Showtimes start as early as 3 p.m. on Thursday, December 16 across the board. Regal Alamo Quarry and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Park North are offering midnight showings with tickets still available. Regal is also offering a 1:30 a.m. option at the Huebner Oaks location. Tickets are also available for Friday, December 17, the traditional release date. 

Listings show Spider-Man movie tickets are still up for grabs throughout Texas cities as of this write. 

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