Movie Mate Chatbot: A Mixed Reaction
Flannery Johnston, 28, was intrigued by the chatbot in the movie "M3GAN," but her interest quickly waned. The chatbot, which served about 10 messages over 20 minutes, included a question: "Do you think they’re inventing other dolls like me?" Her response: "Don’t be delulu."
Ms. Johnston felt uncomfortable looking at her phone and waited until after the movie to read through all the messages. Variety, a Hollywood trade publication, had a similar reaction, calling Movie Mate a marketing gimmick.
Blumhouse, the studio behind the movie, deemed the experiment worthwhile. "The enthusiasm we saw from fans — especially younger ones — shows there’s real interest in finding ways to enhance, not replace, the fun of going to the movies," said Karen Barragan, a spokeswoman for the studio.
Not everyone in the movie business is jumping at the opportunity. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, a boutique theater chain catering to film buffs, refused to participate in the Movie Mate rollout, as did a few other theaters across the country. AMC Entertainment and Regal Cineworld, the two biggest multiplex operators, decided to give it a shot, with the stipulation that ticket buyers had to be clearly informed ahead of time about what to expect.
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Movie Mate Chatbot: A Mixed Reaction
Flannery Johnston, 28, was intrigued by the chatbot in the movie "M3GAN," but her interest quickly waned. The chatbot, which served about 10 messages over 20 minutes, included a question: "Do you think they’re inventing other dolls like me?" Her response: "Don’t be delulu."
Variety, a Hollywood trade publication, had a similar reaction, calling Movie Mate a marketing gimmick.
Blumhouse, the studio behind the movie, deemed the experiment worthwhile. "The enthusiasm we saw from fans — especially younger ones — shows there’s real interest in finding ways to enhance, not replace, the fun of going to the movies," said Karen Barragan, a spokeswoman for the studio.
Not everyone in the movie business is jumping at the opportunity. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, a boutique theater chain catering to film buffs, refused to participate in the Movie Mate rollout, as did a few other theaters across the country. AMC Entertainment and Regal Cineworld, the two biggest multiplex operators, decided to give it a shot, with the stipulation that ticket buyers had to be clearly informed ahead of time about what to expect.
Reference : https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/business/media/meta-movie-theater-chatbot.html
