New releases coming to reopened Ceres Drive-In again; blockbuster movies lined up
Remember going to the movies? The popcorn smell? The two-story screen? The new releases you could only see in theaters?
The Ceres Drive-In is hoping to recapture that elusive big-screen experience in the age of COVID-19 and well beyond with a hefty investment in new projection upgrades and a slate of first-run movies coming soon.
Stanislaus County’s only dedicated drive-in theater, which reopened last September in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, will soon be the only movie venue in the region showing new releases.
Owner Mark Stotzer has been working with Hollywood studios and distributors to give the longtime Central Valley icon new life, and offer the public the chance to see first-run movies on the big screen as they premiere nationally. That includes upcoming Disney animated releases and blockbuster sequels to “Top Gun,” “Mission: Impossible” and the James Bond franchise along with other major studio releases this year.
“As a business, a drive-in should be playing first-run movies if it is a real drive in. It gives people a reason to show up, and a little normalcy. You can see a real movie in a real drive-in,” said Stotzer, who also runs live events production and booking companies — most of which have been paused during the pandemic.
He said the $50,000 investment in a new projection system allows them to play the first-run releases at theater-level digital quality, which he said should help them continue to prosper even after the pandemic is over.
Stotzer finished the projection upgrades this week, and the public will be able to see the improved experience for themselves starting this weekend with Friday and Saturday screenings of the new superhero sequel “Wonder Woman 1984,” which debuted in theaters and on the premium streaming service HBO Max last month.
Nostalgia, classic films not enough for drive-in survival
With indoor movie theaters still closed across the region, drive-ins have made a comeback in the past year. Ceres Drive-In stands alone as a dedicated facility, compared to some of the more informal and temporary pop-up drive-ins that have emerged in the area during the pandemic. It is also the only operating classic drive-in between Sacramento and Madera.
Most of the pop-up drive-ins have relied on classic movies to fill out their schedules, from favorites like “Wizard of Oz” to “Back to the Future” and more. But Stotzer said nostalgia alone isn’t a permanent business model for the Ceres site, so the first-run slate will help set it apart while hearkening back to the drive-in glory days.
The schedule will start with some more recently released titles, from the Wonder Woman sequel to three consecutive weekends of double-features.
They are the animated sequel “The Croods: A New Age” and the Tom Hanks Western “News of the World” Feb. 5 to 7, The Rock franchise “Jumanji: The Next Level” and action flick “Monster Hunter” Jan. 12 to 14, and “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” and the Liam Neeson thriller “The Marksman” Feb. 19 to 21.
New first-run premieres should start in March and include the new live-action/animated hybrid “Tom & Jerry,” Disney animated feature “Raya and the Last Dragon” and big-budget monster mash “Godzilla vs. Kong.”
As the drive-in expands its first-run offerings, especially in the spring and summer, Stotzer said he hopes to be open more days per week as well. Currently the facility is only open on the weekends and employs around a dozen people.
Movie entrance fee prices reduced, starting at $10 for singles
The drive-in has also changed its pricing structure, as part of its condition to play new releases, making it more affordable for single people or small groups to attend. When it opened they were charging a flat $30 fee per car, now entrance will be $10 each for the first two people and $5 each additional person.
So ultimately a family of four would pay the same $30 fee per screening (including double features, which are the same price), with larger families paying slightly more.
Since opening the drive-in has also upgraded its food offerings, expanding beyond popcorn and candy to include pizza, hot dogs, nachos and more. He has also made improvements to the look of the facilities, and continues to have armed guards on site and professional cleaning after each screening.
His gamble at reopening has so far paid off, with about 80% attendance in the 200-car venue during the warm weather months. The facility operates rain-or-shine, so don’t let these last few rainy days stop you.
In the end, Stotzer said he hopes the upgrades and switch to new releases encourage people to embrace the drive-in, and champion it as the Central Valley original it is. Few communities even have the opportunity to go to a real drive-in anymore, let alone one playing the newest movies.
So let’s all maybe give our collective Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services a break from their marathon pandemic workouts of late, and go to the movies. But in our cars, and not our couches for a change.
For more information on the Ceres Drive-In visit www.cerescruisein.com.
This story was originally published January 29, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
