Walmart Will Convert Parking Lots Into Drive-Ins This Summer, Teams With Tribeca For Touring Screening Series

Growing up as a teenager in the South, I had a few friends who would occasionally congregate in the local Walmart parking lot, because sometimes it didn't feel like there was anywhere else to go or anything better to do. Now 160 Walmart parking lots across the country will become gathering places for folks who are desperate to get of their houses during the pandemic.

Walmart is teaming up with Tribeca Enterprises to launch a touring Walmart drive-in screening series that will temporarily convert parking lots into contact-free drive-in theaters. Get the details below.

The resurgence of drive-in theaters in the age of the coronavirus has been well-documented, but since there aren't that many drive-ins left in the United States, lots of people haven't had the chance to experience watching a movie on the big screen from the comfort of their cars. But Walmart is teaming up with Tribeca Enterprises to give people the opportunity to have that experience in a Walmart parking lot. It's not what I'd call a perfect place to watch a movie, but then again, is anything actually ideal right now? We'll take what we can get.

The touring program will begin in August and run through October, and will consist of a combined 320 showings, featuring "hit movies, special appearances from filmmakers and celebrities and concessions delivered right to customer vehicles." And since you're going to Walmart anyway, the company is suggesting that you order some "drive-in essentials" in advance which will be available for curbside pickup when you get there. (They are still an evil corporation that wants to make a buck, after all.)

If a Tribeca-related drive-in news story sounds familiar to you, it may be because back in May, the company announced they were launching a joint venture with IMAX and AT&T to bring big-screen entertainment to some unconventional locations. But that program only involved five locations around the U.S. This new Walmart-backed drive-in series drastically expands that to 160 locations – although those locations have not been officially announced yet. If you're interested in learning about those locations or finding out what films are going to be screened, their official website will be posting that information as soon as it's available.