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Meta Wants You to Be On Your Phone During Special Showings of M3GAN
In a move that may spark debate among movie enthusiasts, Meta has partnered with Universal Pictures and Blumhouse to introduce a unique experience for viewers attending special screenings of the horror film M3GAN. The unusual twist? Audiences are encouraged to use their smartphones during these one-night engagements.
To take advantage of this innovative tie-in, fans will need to send a direct message (DM) to the movie’s Instagram account before attending the show. Once inside participating theaters, users can access second-screen content, including a chatbot version of the M3GAN doll, film trivia, and behind-the-scenes details through Meta’s Movie Mate service.
This integration is designed to get audiences back into theaters, an effort that may be necessary given the significant impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the movie industry. The move follows other recent attempts by cinemas to revamp their offerings, such as hosting sing-along showings of Wicked and allowing fans to record reactions during screenings like Minecraft Movie.
While some viewers might find this experience refreshing, others may be annoyed by the distraction. It will be interesting to see how this experiment plays out in practice, especially considering that Instagram will require access to users’ location data.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/meta-wants-you-to-be-on-your-phone-during-special-showings-of-m3gan-220411260.html?src=rss
