Call me crazy, but I still enjoy going to the movies—even in the streaming age. But especially this winter, I’ve noticed something.
The parking lots are thinner. The lobby lines move fast. Entire rows sit empty even when a new release hits, especially for theater brands that have recently taken a back seat.
Now one of the state’s biggest theater operators is warning that more locations could shut down.
AMC Theatres says it will continue closing theaters as it reassesses leases and trims underperforming locations. The company has already shuttered more than 200 theaters in recent years and currently operates about 850 worldwide.
Despite its decline, I still have fond memories of visiting AMC theaters in the early 2000s, especially after a long day of shopping at Garden State Plaza. But things have changed.
This year alone, roughly 85 leases are up for renewal. Each one will be evaluated. Some will not survive the review. Part of the decline in the brand’s performance may also be due toquality issues. With rising brands like Cinemark and iPic, AMC has, in some locations, become a lower-tier theater. For those of us who have great memories, it’s a shame to see how the brand has declined over the last decade, especially.
Regardless of AMC’s status, overall theater-going was down 5% in the U.S. in 2025 vs. 2024.
No specific New Jersey closures have been announced. But the math is simple: when leases expire, decisions follow.
Attendance Is Still Down
AMC executives said attendance dropped nearly 10% in the final quarter of 2025 compared to the same period the year before.
That’s no small dip. For a business built on packed opening weekends and steady foot traffic, it’s major. AMC shares have also plunged to a 5-year low of $1.15 a share as of Friday, February 27, 2026.
Even as major studios returned to fuller release schedules, the audience hasn’t fully returned with them. Streaming remains dominant. Moviegoing habits changed. And for many families, a night at the theater has become a calculated expense.
Wall Street noticed. Shares in the company recently slid to multi-year lows, adding pressure to cut costs.
The New Jersey Locations at Risk
AMC currently operates theaters in:
- Brick
- Bridgewater
- Cherry Hill
- Clifton
- Deptford
- East Brunswick
- East Hanover
- Eatontown
- Edison
- Elizabeth
- Freehold
- Hackensack
- Jersey City
- Linden
- Marlton
- Morristown
- Mountainside
- New Brunswick
- Paramus
- Princeton
- Ridgefield Park
- Rockaway
- Voorhees
- Wayne
- West Orange
There is no confirmation that any of these towns will lose a theater. But the company has made clear that closures will outpace openings going forward.
In other words, some communities will likely lose their screens.
A Shift Toward Fewer, Bigger Bets
AMC isn’t abandoning theaters entirely. It has opened new locations even while closing older ones. The difference is focus.
Executives say the newer properties are generating stronger profits than the ones being closed. That suggests a pivot toward premium formats and higher-performing markets rather than a blanket retreat.
Still, that strategy doesn’t soften the impact for towns that could lose a longtime entertainment anchor.
What Happens Next
For now, it’s a waiting game.
Lease negotiations happen quietly. Announcements often come with little warning. And once a closure is confirmed, there’s rarely a reversal.
For New Jersey moviegoers, the question isn’t whether AMC will close more theaters.
It’s which ones.
And whether the big-screen experience, at least in some towns, is slowly fading into something we remember more than we attend.
Michael is the Editor-in-Chief of New Jersey Digest and Creative Director at X Factor Media. A Bergen County native, he discovered his passion for storytelling while studying at Montclair State University. In addition to his work in journalism and media, Michael is an avid fiction writer. Outside the office, he enjoys kayaking, a bold glass of Nebbiolo, and the fine art of over-editing.