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Horror entertainment expert Blumhouse is hosting special screenings of its film M3GAN that encourage audiences to utilize their smartphones. defying the usual warnings against disrupting the viewing experience for others, Blumhouse is collaborating with Meta to provide exclusive content during screenings of M3GAN. During these events, patrons can leverage Meta’s Movie Mate service to access secondary screen content, including a chatbot version of the M3GAN doll, trivia about the film, and behind-the-scenes information. Other Blumhouse films such as Annabelle and Ma will also have one-night engagements this spring; however, those will be traditional showings where using your phone might annoy fellow moviegoers.
To fully engage with this unique tie-in, attendees must first send a direct message to the movie’s Instagram account. Additionally, this feature will only be available to those within the participating theaters, meaning Instagram will likely require access to the viewers’ location data.
“The M3GAN in-theater Movie Mate is an industry-first moviegoer experience,” stated Omar Zayat, group lead for entertainment, tech, travel, gaming and automotive at Meta. “We are excited to introduce filmgoers to this feature through Instagram Direct and Click-to-Messenger Ads. Collaborating with Universal Pictures and Blumhouse to create immersive experiences aimed at drawing audiences back into theaters is thrilling for us.”
Hidden within all that corporate speak is a recognition that movie theaters were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In an attempt to boost attendance, many cinemas are allowing or even promoting activities that typically would lead to being kicked out. For instance, AMC began holding special showings of Wicked due to some attendees feeling compelled to showcase their best Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande impressions. Similarly, A Minecraft Movie has experienced disruptive behavior, largely driven by enthusiastic fan reactions and the filming of those reactions in hopes of capturing viral moments.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/meta-wants-you-to-be-on-your-phone-during-special-showings-of-m3gan-220411260.html?src=rss.
