Walmart Is Hosting Free Drive-in Movies. Here's When & Where.

The retailer is getting in on the drive-in movie trend as traditional theaters remain closed.

Courtesy of Walmart
Courtesy of Walmart

With traditional movie theaters indefinitely closed (and a 2020 movie release calendar constantly in flux) due to the widespread social distancing requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than a few people are turning to old school drive-in theaters for safe entertainment. The only problem is that few car-friendly theaters are still around. That's why Walmart is transforming its expansive parking lots into drive-in movie experiences this summer.

On Wednesday, the ubiquitous retailer announced the dates, locations, and featured movies of its nationwide drive-in tour, which will pop up at 160 Walmart locations in dozens of states from August 14 through October 21. Full details on all 320 of the planned showings are available at www.TheWalmartDriveIn.com as of 5pm ET on August 5. Tickets are free for customers, according to a press release.

Walmart is staging the drive-in movie tour in partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival. The company claims that each showing will be a safe and contact-free experiences for families. As for the movies, featured titles will include Friday Night Lights, The Karate Kid, Space Jam, Black Panther, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, The Lego Batman Movie, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Spy Kids, Teen Titans GO! To The Movies, Wonder Woman, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Ghostbusters, Men in Black: International, Back to The Future, Beetlejuice, The Goonies, The Wizard of Oz, Dolphin Tale, Selena, Cars, The Iron Giant, The Lego Movie, Madagascar, and several others.

MORE: The Best Movies of 2020 (So Far)

Courtesy of Walmart

In addition to catching a movie, those who attend can expect virtual -- and in some cases, in-person -- appearances by special guests such as Drew Barrymore, Peter Berg, Jennifer Garner, LeBron James, Chrissy Metz.

“We recognize the challenges our customers and their families have faced over the last few months and we wanted to create an experience where they could come together safely to create new memories,” Janey Whiteside, Walmart’s Chief Customer Officer, said per the release. “The Walmart Drive-in is one small way we’re supporting the communities we serve.”

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Tony Merevick is Senior News Editor at Thrillist. Send news tips to news@thrillist.com and follow him on Twitter @tonymerevick.