Regal Cinemas

Not to be confused with Regal Entertainment, Inc..

Background
Regal Entertainment Group is an American cinema chain. Founded in 1989 as Regal Cinemas (its first location, the seven-screen Searstown Cinema in Titusville, Florida, was acquired from Orange State Theatres as a twin before the end of the year and opened the following March), within years they would become the owners of Edwards Theaters and United Artists Theaters. Regal, and rival AMC Theatres, were owners of the joint venture Open Road Films from its founding in 2011, up to 2017. Since December 2017, Regal is currently owned by London-based Cineworld Group, after they purchased Regal for $3.6 billion, creating the world's second largest cinema group.

1st Opening (1993-June 2000, March 2001-2005)
Opening: We start with a futuristic rollercoaster car at a tunnel. A curved dashboard starts to display the Regal theater policy below in red:

"Welcome to Regal Cinemas (1993-2002) / Welcome to Regal Entertainment Group (2002-2005) Refreshments available in lobby In case of emergency please proceed to the nearest exit. Enjoy The Show!!!"

The screen moves up, revealing a track of filmstrip, machinery, and a screen displaying "No Smoking", with the dashboard still visible. The car starts moving across the track and climbs up a lift hill, also passing by another screen displaying "Quiet Please/No Talking During Movie", and wrappers flying into a large trashcan, before exiting the tunnel. The dashboard moves off screen and the car speeds up as it goes down a drop (passing by a Raisinets box) and through a large filmreel. More concessions pass by, including two Butterfinger boxes, Pepsi cups (changed to Coca-Cola cups in 2002), a large Goobers box, and popcorn popping alongside two rising Regal Cinemas popcorn bags. The car drops again and enters another futuristic tunnel on the right. The doors open, and we cut to outside the tunnel as the rollercoaster car zooms by. The Regal Cinemas logo (gray with orange crown and filmreel) moves in from the left of the screen to the center, tilted at a downward angle, and a sparkle forms on the edge of the crown.

Trivia: The opening was animated by SmithGroup Communications on SGI workstations with Alias/Wavefront PowerAnimator, and later converted to Autodesk Maya in 2002. It was designed by visual effects designer John McLaughlin, who previously worked for LucasArts, and later worked for DreamWorks Animation.

Variants:
 * 1998-2002: The design of the car's interior, the sky background, the popcorn bags, and the second tunnel's exit have been changed. The Nestlé candies are replaced with Hershey candies (Milk Duds, Reese's cups, and Twizzlers) and Pepsi's "Project Blue" logo replaces the 1991 version (white background, stripe with Pepsi logo). The Regal Cinemas logo at the end (now in a gold color and on a space background) faces the screen directly and "FEATURE PRESENTATION" fades in below it in blue.
 * This variant was also adapted for the Mexican cinema chain Cinépolis (owned by Organización Ramirez) and was used during the late 90s and early 2000s. This version has no concessions as we're about to drop the first lift hill through the filmreel, the candy boxes after the filmreel drop are KitKats, and Twizzlers is replaced by Nestle's Crunch. The policy text is also in Spanish and mentions Cinépolis. A version of this was also made for Organización Ramirez's Multicinemas theatres. SmithGroup would make an actual original trailer for Cinépolis later on.
 * 2002: Coca-Cola branding was placed onto the former Pepsi cups.
 * 2002-2004: The dashboard is straight instead of curved with more details (including a handle that automatically moves). The Reese's are replaced with Raisinets, and the popcorn bags are redesigned. The rollercoaster was given a sleeker look with small spinning fans on the bottom, the Regal logo is changed from Regal Cinemas to Regal Entertainment Group, and "FEATURE PRESENTATION" is wiped in from the center with sparkling effects.
 * 2004-2005: The Milk Duds and first Raisinets box are replaced with Sour Patch Kids and Cookie Dough Bites, and the popcorn bags are replaced with new popcorn buckets.
 * 2010(?): Before the 4th logo was introduced, a supposed prototype version of that existed where there are now Raisinets and M&M's boxes at the first drop, the candy boxes after the filmreel drop are now Sour Patch and Cookie Dough Bites and the Coca-Cola cups have been updated to the respective era's design along with the Regal popcorn bags.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A futuristic rock-like orchestration which is kinda fast-paced to match the opening's roller coaster theme. Before the first drop, a female voice says: "Welcome to Regal Cinemas. Refreshments are available in the lobby. And please, keep our theatre clean by disposing of trash in the specified containers. And remember: gift certificates are available for any special occasion. Enjoy the show!" At one point, there's a loud popcorn pop sound. A small finish is heard at the end of the logo. The original version was released in Dolby Stereo, before being remixed in Dolby Digital in 1998 (the popcorn pop sound was louder on screens equipped with Dolby Digital in the 1998 version).

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * 2002-2005: The voiceover says "Welcome to Regal Entertainment." at the start of the opening, and the finish is changed to a 2-note sounder.

Availability: Extinct in theaters. A few Regal locations showed this opening as late as 2008.

2nd Opening (Spring 2000)
Opening: Same as the Wallace Theater Corporation opening from 1999, with references to Wallace and Coca-Cola replaced with Regal Cinemas and Pepsi references.

Technique: CGI by Willming Reams Animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 1999 Wallace Theatres opening.

Availability: Extinct; this was created to possibly replace the 1st opening, though Regal ultimately went with the policy trailer below. It is unknown if this was actually shown in Regal theaters.

3rd Opening (June 2000-March 2001)
Opening: On a black background, the white text "Feature Presentation" fades in, remains on-screen for a few seconds, and then fades out.

Trivia: This sequence concludes Regal's "Pepsi Girl" policy trailer. The spot, starring Hallie Kate Eisenberg in her role from Pepsi's ad campaign at the time (where she'd lip-sync to male actors' voices for comical effect, in this case reading out movie theater rules at a wild west saloon), was widely lambasted by filmgoers and projectionists alike for its overlong and unfunny nature, and for replacing the beloved "Rollercoaster" trailer. There are reports that audiences would boo at the trailer and throw objects at the screen while it was on.

Technique: Fading effects.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extinct. This was only used for less than a year, after the "Pepsi Girl" policy trailer.

4th Opening (July 2010-October 29, 2018)
Opening: A recreation of the 1st opening with more advanced CGI animation. An ad for the Regal Crown Club appears on the car's dashboard when the rollercoaster starts up. A curved dashboard starts to display the Regal theater policy below in green:

Welcome to Regal Entertainment Group Refreshments available in the lobby In case of Emergency please proceed to the nearest exit. Gift Cards available for any special occasion. Enjoy the Show!

The screens in the redesigned opening tunnel display "No Recording Devices or Cameras Allowed", "No Smoking" and "Hearing Impaired Devices/Available Upon Request". The rollercoaster's track is now light-blue, still shaped like a filmstrip but with embedded circuitry (presumably because of the switchover to digital film). Before going through the filmreel, there are screens advertising private screening and birthday rooms with balloons to the right. After that, the concessions from the 2004-2005 opening plus M&Ms are seen, with Sour Patch Kids taking Twizzlers' previous place. The area where bare girders were before now have a billboard for Sprint, and redesigned Regal popcorn bags appear afterwards. The redesigned futuristic exit is decorated with various beat boxes and moving speakers. The rollercoaster car itself now resembles more of a monorail/maglev style vehicle, and the Regal logo is far shinier, with "FEATURE PRESENTATION" now in smaller text and separated from the logo by a large line.

Variants:
 * There is a variant where "Sony Digital Cinema 4K" appears in place of "Feature Presentation". This is shown in 4K auditoriums.
 * For 3D movies (except before IMAX presentations), the opening appears in 3D.
 * 2013: The Twizzlers concession was replaced with a "Find us on Facebook/Join the Conversation on Twitter" ad, the Cookie Dough Bites were replaced with more Sour Patch Kids, and the M&Ms have been replaced with Buncha Crunch.
 * 2014-2015: The Regal Crown Club ad at the beginning has been changed, and a Geico logo (changed to a Regal icon in Spring 2014) now appears in place of the Sprint logo.
 * 2015-2018: This short version starts at the logo positioning itself, however only "REGAL" is seen next to the emblem. "FEATURE PRESENTATION" is also in white.

Technique: CGI animation, produced by SmithGroup Communications. Jim Dalgleish (who worked on the original) and Craig Paup recreated the opening with Modo (tunnel rendering and coaster) and LightWave 3D (tunnel modeling and ending).

Music/Sounds: Same as the 2002-2005 versions of the 1st opening. The short version plays the end of the music from the 6th opening.

Availability: Extinct. The short version appeared after the previews, before the movie starts.

5th Opening (July 1, 2015-)


Opening: In a futuristic-looking tunnel with a hi-tech rollercoaster, a "No Smoking" sign and Regal logos around the right wall and the door, we see a blue electronic grid saying "Welcome to Regal". On the left wall, a message appears saying "Dispose of Trash". The entrance opens to reveal a space-like background above the clouds. Two rocket propellers bring up messages saying:

ASSISTIVE LISTENING CAPTIONING AND DESCRIPTIVE AUDIO DEVICES AVAILABLE and: NO RECORDING DEVICES OR CAMERAS ALLOWED. Then, the rollercoaster's grid writes another message saying: IN CASE OF EMERGENCY PLEASE PROCEED TO THE NEAREST EXIT. The rocket propeller messages start to write: NO TEXTING DURING THE MOVIE and: PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONE.

The camera then speeds up and we ride down to reveal a skyline. Billboards start to reveal concession covers (Sour Patch Kids, Nestle's Buncha Crunch, Nestle's Raisinets, Sour Patch). Right above the Sour Patch billboard, a Geico ad appears. We pan up to see the Regal Crown Club logo, with "Get Free Rewards!" below it. Suddenly, the environment becomes a Grand Canyon-like area. The rollercoaster grid writes "Gift Cards Available", and we pan down to see two Coca-Cola containers, the left one containing the Coca-Cola "Smiley Face" logo, and the right one containing the Regal logo. We then go through a tunnel, causing the environment to change to what looks like a purple alien planet. Suddenly, a piece of popcorn pops, causing other invisible popcorn kernels to pop and fill the screen. We go through the popcorn and stop at the cinema in a first-person view, with the track being in the middle and the seats being on the sides. Curtains unveil, and the Regal logo forms. It pans to the left to let the company name and the text "Please Enjoy These Coming Attractions" appear. The logo shines.

Variants:
 * The Regal logo and the text is often replaced by a promotion on the screen for something Regal related, such as Regal gift cards, or an upcoming movie, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Independence Day: Resurgence, Ron's Gone Wrong, Encanto, Sing 2, and others.
 * As of late October 2018, the newer Regal logo is in place of the old one, and the Regal Crown Club sign has been changed. The camera pans towards the screen slower in this variant, as to accommodate for the longer animation.
 * As of August 21, 2020, the Coca-Cola containers were replaced by Pepsi ones due to a new deal placed between Regal and Pepsi earlier that year.
 * During a promotion for Minions: The Rise of Gru, a variant was created where Stuart and Bob, two Minions from the movie, are added in the rollercoaster seat, with Stuart visibly enjoying the ride while Bob gets afraid. The big piece of popcorn sends Stuart out of his seat before he emerges with the popcorn in his mouth. The cinema at the end is also filled with Minions.

Technique: CGI animation produced by Taylor James for The Tombras Group.

Music/Sounds: Before the rollercoaster, a robot female voice (like in the 1st opening) says Welcome to Regal. One of two themes would play:

At the end the Regal sounder is played on french horns.
 * 2015-2016: A techno/dubstep theme.
 * 2016-: An orchestral theme composed by Auralation Music Studios.

Availability: Current. Can be seen in most Regal screens around the United States.

Phone policy (May 2005-June 30, 2015)
Opening: TBA.

Technique: TBA.

Music/Sounds: A repetition of the D and G guitar chords, with an announcer saying "Welcome to Regal Entertainment theatres. Please silence your cell phones. (Get rewarded with the Regal Entertainment platinum MasterCard.) Beverages provided by Coca-Cola. Refreshments are available in the lobby. Help us keep our theatres clean by disposing of trash in the specified containers. Regal Entertainment gift cards are available at our box office. Your feature presentation will begin after the following previews."

Availability: Extinct. Starting on September 17, 2010, this opening was only shown before some 3D movies (most auditoriums, including all 35mm auditoriums, screened the 5th opening, and some didn't use a standard policy trailer at all, only using the Sprint cell phone policy trailer) and back-to-back with the 5th opening, if at all.

(1990s?)
Opening: On a non-movie theatre, a hot dog, a candy bar, a coffee cup and a popcorn box holding an intermission sign walks from right to left. While this happens, the shot fades to a popcorn machine which disposes popcorn. While this scene happens, we fade to a family drinking and eating on a purple-yellow gradient background with the 1990 Regal bar table. This continues for a while which then fades to the 1990 Regal bar with a girl in it. When it is completely zoomed out "Let's All Go To the Lobby to get Ourselves a treat!" fades in. After a while, the logo fades out.

Technique: Possibly 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: The iconic "Let's All Go To The Lobby" song.

Availabilty: Possibly extinct.

(Summer 2012-March 16, 2020)
Opening: A curtain with the REG crown logo on it unveils a black-and white pastiche of the classic "Let's All Go To the Lobby" animation, with the REG logo above. The screen zooms out to reveal this animation playing out on a CGI tablet on a theater screen. The candy notices this and punches the tablet screen, causing a pack of candy to pop out of the tablet. The candy flies out of the theater screen and through a film projector, with a Regal logo inside. The candy comes out of a flatscreen TV displaying peanut M&Ms, with another TV advertising Twix to the left. Below the TVs, the candy makes its' way down to a Regal concession bar, where it rests alongside a drink, a popcorn bag, and other candies.

Variant: The CGI candy that takes flight has been M&Ms (2012-2014) and Mike & Ike (2014-2020).

Technique: CGI animation, with digital 2D animation at the beginning.

Music/Sounds: The "Let's All Go To The Lobby" quartet plays as normal until we zoom out from the tablet, which turns the music into dramatic string notes (ala Psycho) along with the sounds of glass breaking. After the glass breaks, the music erupts into a triumphant state as the candy flies through the theater with a calmer sweep inside the projector. After this, the fanfare rouses into a dramatic state as an announcer says "Classic favorites and inspiring new choices. Come and get it." in a deep tone.

Availability: Extinct.

(October 30, 2018-)
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Logo: We see an orange camera aperture, with lots of orange crystals coming out of it. Those crystals start forming a crown. Once the crown is formed, it moves to the center of the screen, and rotates to a bird's eye view. A light in the crown forms an "R", creating the current Regal logo. the word "REGAL" wipes in underneath the logo, underneath which, the text "the best place to watch a movie" wipes in. the logo becomes 2D. and fades out.

Trivia: The new logo’s orange color pays homage to Knoxville, the home of the Tennessee Volunteers, where Regal are based in. The logo itself represents the aperture of a camera, as well as a downward view of the signature Regal crown.

Variant: Sometimes, the logo stays on screen for a minute, before fading out.

Technique: CGI by Elastic Pictures. A behind-the-scenes look at the logo can be found here.

Music/Sounds: A chime theme that turns into an orchestral fanfare with the Regal sounder at the end. Like the 2016 variant of the 5th opening, this was composed by Auralation Music Studios. The extended version has ambience for the rest of the logo.

Availability: Current. Regal uploaded it to their YouTube channel when the logo debuted, and it is also seen in theaters, before the 5th opening.