07/23/2026
‼️ PLEASE READ! 👇
I’m re-sharing this post because it explains how we choose our movies and how movie contracts work.
Before sending us a negative message or commenting that we’re playing the same movies for too long or that we only show kids’ movies, we ask that you please take a moment to read it and understand how the process works.
We don’t get to choose release dates, contract lengths, or always decide how long a movie stays on our screen. We work within the agreements provided by the movie studios while doing our best to bring you the best entertainment possible.
We truly appreciate everyone who supports Starlite Drive-In and hope this helps answer some of the questions we receive. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you under the stars! 🌟🍿🚗❤️
The Number One question we are asked is how we choose our movies. There are a lot of factors involved!
First, we consider you (our customers). We think about who is attending our movies, the time of year, what types of movies have previously been popular, and any feedback or requests we've received from our guests. We also discuss with our film booker, who tells us which movies are projected to do well in the box office. Most theaters work with a film booker who can negotiate with studios on their behalf.
Then comes the hard part! To show a movie, we have to pay a licensing fee to the movie studio that distributes it. That is usually a hefty percentage of our ticket sales (which is why we always encourage you to support our snack bar!). We also have to agree to the studio's terms regarding how long we must keep a movie.
For example, a new release may require us to commit to showing it for 2 weeks. We can't skip it to show a different movie in that time frame. As a single-screen drive-in, this unfortunately means we can't show every new release that comes out since release dates often overlap.
Because we're a drive-in, we have the added challenge of deciding on a co-feature. Certain studios require specific co-features to be played, while others allow more flexibility. Sometimes you'll see us play a retro movie along with a new release. If you pay close attention, you might notice that they are often from the same distributor! This is because studios typically give us lower rates to play a second movie from their repertoire. They also don't require us to play it for a specific time period, so we have some flexibility to play around. Plus, we think it's fun!
Occasionally, you'll still see us play new releases from two different movie studios (like this week, with The Flash and Spider-Man). Film bookers can often negotiate package deals for drive-ins, bundling two new releases for very reasonable terms. When you see the same pairings happening at multiple drive-ins, you can bet it's because there was a good deal. It's a great way for us to continue showing popular movies without having to skip everything else that comes out.
If we could play absolutely anything, regardless of any terms or limitations, Lauren would choose Titanic and Matt would choose Ernest Scared Stupid. So if you ever see those movies at Shankweiler's, you'll know it's a special day for us!
