Retail giant Walmart has been stayed open throughout the pandemic, giving customers the opportunity to stock up on everything from ingredients for their quarantine baking binge to anti-bacterial soap for their constant hand-washing. Starting this month, the store will be providing a new, much-needed offering for the public: drive-in theaters. Perhaps the summer of movie-going isn't canceled after all.
In partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival, Walmart is putting together a special cinematic event for people missing their local movie theaters. For three months, Supercenter stores around the country will be setting up drive-in theaters in parking lots and projecting family-friendly films for audiences to enjoy — from the safety of their cars, of course.
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Curated by the Tribeca Film Festival, the list of movies that will be shown at the national drive-ins spans everything from musicals to action blockbusters. Fans can look forward to showings of films like Black Panther, The Wizard of Oz, Men in Black: International, Back to the Future, and more. Sure, it's not exactly the same as filing into a crowded theater to watch Tenet for the first time or settling into your couch for Mulan's Disney+ debut, but the drive-in will be fun and free!
The showings will also be an A-list experience because Walmart has partnered with a number of Hollywood's finest for the rollout. Per an official press release, Drew Barrymore will serve as virtual host for showings around the country, and she will make a guest appearance at one location. Peter Berg, Jennifer Garner, LeBron James, and Chrissy Metz will also pop up at select showings.
Starting today, moviegoers can reserve a space for the Walmart Drive-in by visiting TheWalmartDriveIn.com. To find out an outdoor theater near you, just type in your zip code or city, pick a date, and then pull up to your local store on the designated day with your confirmation QR code. And if you want the full theater experience, overly-buttered popcorn and all, Walmart will also be providing attendees with concessions through its convenient pickup and delivery services.
The nationwide event begins on August 14 and runs all the way through October 21 with over 300 showings of classic Hollywood films. Walmart might have just saved the summer blockbuster experience.