Get ready to experience a whole new level of cinematic immersion at AMC Theatres in Tysons.
Construction is expected to start early this week on a planned renovation of the movie theater at Tysons Corner Center, AMC Theatres spokesperson Cassie Kennard told FFXnow.
Now blocked off by a temporary wall, the box office will undergo a refresh, as will the seating in most screening room seats, the theater’s hallways and the MacGuffins Bar. The project will also introduce more “premium large format” offerings, including a second Dolby Cinema auditorium and the location’s first Prime at AMC and 4DX options.
Playing catch-up with Regal as exhibitors increasingly turn to events and novelties in their attempts to compete with home viewing options, AMC announced last summer that it will begin rolling out 4DX to theaters across the U.S., aiming to add 40 screens by the end of 2027.
The “multi-sensory” format made its debut at the Gulf Pointe theater in Houston, Texas, in February and is currently listed as “coming soon” to theaters in Denver, Kansas City and Atlanta as well as Tysons, according to the company’s website.
“This will have motion-based seating with more than 21 environmental effects, including wind, water, snow, vibration, and scent, synchronized to the on-screen action,” Kennard said, describing the 4DX auditorium.
Like AMC’s other premium formats, 4DX screenings will be pricier than a standard showing. It’s not clear exactly how much the standard upcharge is, but a Sunday afternoon screening of Pixar’s latest talking-animals film “Hoppers” at AMC Gulf Pointe, for example, costs around $9 for a regular presentation and $16 for 4DX.
Like a theme park attraction, the experience isn’t recommended for everyone, with the chain requiring patrons to be at least 4 years old and 3-and-a-half feet in height, per AMC’s website.
According to Kennard, Prime at AMC, the chain’s primary premium large format brand, will bring more traditional upgrades, including plush recliners, laser projection technology and enhanced surround sound. AMC’s Signature Recliners will be added to all other auditoriums too, except for the 4DX and IMAX rooms.
Originally opened as part of a mall expansion in September 2005, Tysons Corner Center’s 16-screen AMC Theatres hasn’t received major renovations before, aside from the launch of its IMAX screen in 2010 and a more recent conversion of another screen to Dolby Cinema. Both of those auditoriums won’t be affected by the upcoming changes.
The theater is expected to continue operating throughout the months-long renovation.
“To remain open and continue serving our guests throughout the renovation process, updates will take place in phases, with substantial completion expected by early Fall,” Kennard said. “We look forward to sharing photos of these enhancements later this year.”
