Walmart's movie plan will transform parking lots into drive-in theaters
Walmart just made a surprising announcement: it will turn some of its store parking lots into drive-in movie theaters, using its existing real estate to revive a largely defunct way to view movies. The drive-in theaters will start going live in early August, according to the company, but they won't be available at every Walmart destination. In case you're wondering: yes, there will be popcorn.
Walmart announced the new plan on Twitter and has already launched a website dedicated to the new move. The drive-in theaters will arrive in partnership with Tribeca, according to Walmart, which says that its new plan will help the public watch movies while maintaining social distancing.
Starting in August at select Walmart stores, we're partnering with @Tribeca and rolling out the red carpet for drive-in movie premieres, complete with car-side 🍿and 🥤service. Stay tuned for more details. See you at the movies! https://t.co/JfUPB6QK8C pic.twitter.com/t4Enk8aYzL
— Walmart (@Walmart) July 1, 2020
The drive-in theaters will be located at select Walmart Supercenter stores throughout the United States, the company says. We don't know too much about this plan yet, including the specific stores that will offer the theaters and which movies will be offered.
There's also no word on price yet, nor how long Walmart plans to operate these theaters. The company did say that it will be offering food and drink service car-side, so no one will have to get out of their vehicles. This is arguably the best way to watch movies at this time, enabling families to stay isolated in their own private vehicles.
Walmart says that it will be back with more information in the near future. Presumably, interested viewers can keep an eye on the Walmart Drive-In Theater website for more information (when it arrives), including locations, showtimes, and prices.