Convention - SDCC 2025 : AMC Booth Brings Horror, Immersion, and Collectible Frenzy to San Diego

By Mulder, San Diego, Convention Center, 23 july 2025

San Diego Comic-Con 2025 proved once again that even in a sea of major entertainment brands, AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. knows how to grab attention and turn an exhibit space into a fully fledged experience. The world’s largest cinema chain, with more than a century of history since its founding in Kansas City, Missouri in 1920 by the Dubinsky brothers, has built a reputation for embracing both cinematic spectacle and audience engagement. At SDCC 2025, that philosophy was on full display at their booth, where AMC blurred the lines between a film promotion, a live theatrical event, and a collector’s paradise. The booth wasn’t merely a display of posters or props—it was a meticulously constructed world inspired by the upcoming horror film Clown in a Cornfield, scheduled to premiere on AMC+ and Shudder on August 8. This choice of film was no coincidence; AMC has in recent years positioned itself not only as a leader in theatrical exhibition but also as a player in streaming and genre content distribution, and this activation served as both a marketing coup and a statement of intent.

The moment attendees approached the AMC booth, they were drawn into what looked at first glance like an idyllic small-town parade scene, complete with vintage banners celebrating a fictional “Founders Day.” This was the opening misdirection of an experience designed to play with the expectations of Comic-Con crowds. From the moment participants stepped through the gates, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The noise of the convention floor faded into the dim light of a fog-filled, nearly pitch-black corn maze, constructed using real corn stalks to give the impression—and smell—of authenticity. Within the twisting paths lurked actors in full character as the film’s notorious killer clown, Frendo, armed with chainsaws and sudden jump scares. AMC’s creative team didn’t stop at superficial frights; the experience incorporated interactive puzzle elements, requiring participants to work together to “defuse a bomb” planted by Frendo before making their escape. This blending of haunted attraction intensity with escape-room interactivity reflected AMC’s growing interest in experiential marketing—a trend the company has leaned into in recent years to deepen fan engagement beyond the cinema screen.

Upon emerging from the maze, survivors found themselves not back in the usual Comic-Con chaos, but in a bright, carnival-themed midway that flipped the emotional tone on its head. Here, AMC offered a place for attendees to catch their breath, share stories of their harrowing escape, and enjoy a carefully curated selection of themed refreshments. Frozen mochas, sweet treats, and even shark-themed gummies were handed out, creating a stark yet satisfying contrast to the tension of the maze. This sudden shift from fear to fun wasn’t just clever design—it echoed the rhythms of a well-paced horror film, where a moment of levity follows an intense scare. For AMC, it also provided a perfect backdrop to showcase exclusive promotional items and merchandise, including the booth’s most sought-after treasure: limited-edition collectible popcorn buckets. The buckets, themed and styled in connection to AMC’s broader branding strategy, sold out at a rapid pace, sparking chatter on social media platforms like Reddit where fans described the frenzy in excited, abbreviated posts.

The collectible aspect of the booth revealed another layer of AMC’s strategy at SDCC 2025. These limited-run items have become status symbols among cinema and convention fans, and AMC used the high-traffic, high-hype environment of the convention to fuel scarcity and desirability. The presence of rival Regal Cinemas, also selling themed buckets, added an unspoken yet palpable sense of competition to the floor, with attendees comparing designs and even strategizing which booth to hit first before stock ran out. For AMC, this was more than just a sales tactic—it was an exercise in brand loyalty building, offering physical, tangible connections for fans to carry home, long after the convention ended. It’s a method the company has successfully deployed in theaters nationwide with collectible concession items tied to major releases, and bringing it to SDCC allowed AMC to tap directly into one of the most enthusiastic fan markets in the world.

In the context of AMC’s broader history, the success of this booth felt like the culmination of decades of evolution in the way the company thinks about the moviegoing—and now, convention-going—experience. From Stanley Durwood’s pioneering multiplex model in the 1960s, to AMC’s early adoption of premium formats like Dolby Cinema and IMAX, to the survivalist ingenuity they displayed during the COVID-19 pandemic with initiatives like on-demand streaming and food delivery, AMC has consistently sought ways to innovate audience engagement. The SDCC 2025 booth was a physical manifestation of that approach, translating cinematic thrills into a tactile, participatory event. It reminded attendees that AMC is not simply a venue for watching films—it is a brand capable of producing moments that resonate on an emotional level, whether in a recliner seat, a fog-choked maze, or a noisy convention hall.

AMC’s presence at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 did exactly what a great film trailer does: it left people wanting more. Fans walked away not only buzzing about Clown in a Cornfield but also with a renewed sense of AMC’s identity as an entertainment brand that thrives on spectacle, surprise, and the fine art of knowing its audience. In a convention that often feels overloaded with options, AMC carved out a distinct, memorable niche—one where fear and fun danced hand-in-hand, and where even a popcorn bucket became a coveted piece of the Comic-Con story. This wasn’t just a booth; it was a reminder that AMC’s mastery of the theatrical experience extends far beyond the walls of a movie theater.

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Photos and video : Boris Colletier / Mulderville