Discovery Channel is going big screen for this year’s Shark Week with a planned debut for the TV event in movie theaters nationwide.
On July 23, Shark Week will debut with a recap episode of 2016 and special episode for 2017. Theater locations have yet to be announced and tickets go on sale June 9.
“We are excited to be working with Fathom to bring ‘Shark Week’ to the big screen this summer,” said Leigh Anne Brodsky, executive vice president of Discovery Global Enterprises, in a statement.
Fathom Events, a joint venture between AMC Entertainment, Cinemark and Regal Entertainment, has affiliate theaters in all 100 top DMAs.
RELATED: After ratings dip, Discovery moves Shark Week back to late July
News of Shark Week’s jump to theaters comes shortly after the Discovery announced the timing for this year’s event, which has been moved back to its traditional start in late July after a July 4 start last year resulted in down ratings.
“There were a lot of people still working. When we've done it in August, we get a huge boost in date & day and late night, because people are just hanging out, and the kids are—kind of the dog days of summer. So I think you'll see next year, it will be going back into late July, early August where we found the most success,” said Discovery CEO David Zaslav, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript.
Of course, Discovery isn’t the only media company trying to drum up hype for TV by using the multiplex. Last year, ABC announced that it was partnering with IMAX to debut its upcoming Marvel series “Inhumans” in theaters two weeks before it shows up on the network.
"This first-of-its-kind multi-platform production, distribution and marketing agreement brings together Marvel Television's unique brand of entertainment, ABC's unparalleled audience and IMAX's brand and global fanboy demographic," said IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond in a statement. "It also takes our decades-long relationship with The Walt Disney Company to a whole new level, jointly breaking new ground in the industry. We are confident our exhibition partners will be excited to work with us on this innovative launch of a series across the IMAX network."