Regal’s dollar-a-movie deal is back for the summer: the chain revived its $1 Summer Movie Express, running June 1 to Aug. 13, 2026.
Andy Serkis’s animated adaptation of Animal Farm is among the films included on the schedule.
The program, launched in 1991, sells tickets for $1 and starts at 11 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, offering families a low-cost option for weekday matinees. The return also includes a concession deal — $3 off a Snack Pack that comes with a junior-size drink, popcorn and fruit gummies.
Regal has positioned the offering as a family-minded summer fixture aimed at people looking for a little cool entertainment during what are often the hottest weeks of the year. The chain lists a mix of mostly older releases on the lineup: Sing, A Minecraft Movie, Kung Fu Panda 4 and Paddington in Peru join Animal Farm, which features the voices of Seth Rogen, Steve Buscemi and Glenn Close.
The weekday start times and the emphasis on earlier releases are part of the program’s long-running design. Regal first launched the $1 Summer Movie Express in 1991 and continues to run it weekday mornings, a pattern that returns this year from June 1 through Aug. 13. On Long Island, Regal operates theaters in Deer Park, East Hampton, Lynbrook and Westbury where the deal will be available.
There is a built-in tension in the package: the program is billed to families seeking relief from summer heat, yet it runs Mondays through Thursdays at 11 a.m. — weekday slots that can be difficult for working parents and caregivers. The chain’s description also emphasizes mostly older releases, which keeps costs low but limits access to first-run weekend premieres.
For viewers who can make weekday mornings, the economics are stark. A $1 ticket and the concession discount reduce the cost of an air-conditioned outing to a fraction of a standard evening visit, and the inclusion of recent animated titles alongside Serkis’s Animal Farm gives the schedule broad appeal to children and adults alike.
Regal directs interested patrons to regmovies.com for the full schedule and local listings. Given the program’s scope — running from June 1 to Aug. 13 and beginning at 11 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays — the clear promise is an affordable, weekday refuge from summer heat; the obvious trade-off is that the cheapest seats come with a weekday calendar that won’t fit every family’s plans.
