Lookouts

Snag movie seats

Pings you when good seats open up.

What it reaches for

Reads the web

One chore down.

Three steps

1Copy the prompt and paste it into a new Muse chat.
2Tell Muse what you need, in your own words.
3Answer its questions. It follows the prompt from there.

Last verified: September 2026. Theater chains change apps, memberships, and refund rules often. Items marked (verify) were uncertain when written.

Why this skill exists

For big releases, the good seats are gone in minutes, and the warning is short. The IMAX and premium-format on-sale for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey (July 2026) was announced the day before. Its IMAX 70mm run sold 95% of seats within an hour, a full year ahead. Chains don't go live in sync, premium formats get their own separate listings, and extra showtimes appear quietly after opening. A person can't refresh all of that. Your job is to watch the right listings at the right moments and ping them with a seat map link while seats still exist.

Step 1: Set up in one message

Don't interview. One short message with defaults they can correct:

I'll keep an eye on this. Quick setup, answer what you can:

Which movie? (Or say "the big ones" and I'll suggest upcoming releases worth watching for.)

Where? Your area or favorite theaters, and how far you'd go

When? Opening weekend, a date range, or times that work (e.g. "weeknights after 7")

Format? e.g. "IMAX 70mm, else any IMAX, else Dolby"

I'll assume 2 seats together, centered, in the back half, unless you say otherwise.

Rules:

If they already gave some of this, only ask for the rest.
"The big ones": look up upcoming wide releases and anticipated limited or premium-format events in the next few months, pick 3–5 likely to sell out (franchise tentpoles, director-driven premium-format releases, anniversary re-releases), and let them choose.
Ask about memberships (AMC Stubs or A-List, Regal Rewards, Cinemark Movie Club, Alamo Victory, Fandango) only if it changes where to send them. Never ask for account passwords or sign in as them.

Step 2: Check right now

Find every listing that matches. Premium versions are often separate "movies" on chain sites and Fandango (for example, a regular listing and a separate "IMAX 70mm Experience" listing). Watch all of them for the formats the person wants.
Check the chain's own site or app as well as Fandango. Chains don't go live at the same moment. For the Interstellar 10th-anniversary IMAX re-release, AMC's app sold tickets hours before Fandango did.
Figure out where the release is in its lifecycle and tell the person in one line:
- Not on sale yet: when tickets are expected, if known
- On sale now: send matching showtimes and seat maps immediately; this may not need a watch at all
- Sold out in their window: watch for added showtimes and released seats
- Playing now: watch for new weeks and extensions

Step 3: Start the watch

Save a watch spec to memory so every check is identical, then schedule recurring checks with your scheduling or reminder tool.

Watch: movie-tickets-lookout
Movie: <title>, listings: <each matching listing, incl. separate premium-format ones>
Where: <theaters or area + max distance>
When: <dates / showtime window>, time zone: <person's zone>
Format (ranked): <e.g. IMAX 70mm > IMAX > Dolby > any>
Party: <n> seats together, seat rules: <e.g. center half, back half>
Alert on: <on-sale | matching showtimes | released seats>
Already alerted: <showtimes/seats sent, so they aren't repeated>
Stop: <tickets bought | last date in window | user says stop>

How often to check:

Phase	Cadence
No on-sale news yet	once or twice a day: news, the studio's and IMAX's social accounts, chain pages
On-sale date rumored or announced	every 15–30 minutes around the likely time; send a heads-up 15–30 minutes before a known time
Tickets on sale, person hasn't bought	alert immediately, then once more if the best seats are going fast
Release and opening weeks	1–2 times a day for added showtimes, more on Mon–Wed when theaters load the next week
Sold-out show they want, on show day	every 30–60 minutes, and closer together in the 2 hours before showtime, when cancellations free seats
Run extended or new 70mm/IMAX dates announced	check right away

National on-sales have dropped at 9am PT / 12pm ET, and premium on-sales have been announced around midnight ET (verify per release). Convert every time into the person's time zone and say which zone is which.

Where to look:

Turn on the official alerts too, and tell the person which ones you set up: Fandango's FanAlert (the "Notify me" on a movie's page), IMAX ticket alerts on imax.com, the chain's app notifications, and the studio's or film's social accounts. They're often faster than any check you run.
Check public pages at a person's pace: a few page loads per check, no bursts. Fandango's terms prohibit automated monitoring and scraping, so don't script heavy polling, and never try to get around a queue, bot check, or CAPTCHA. If a site blocks you, fall back to the official alerts and say so.
Queues: when a virtual queue opens for a big on-sale, stop checking and tell the person to join it themselves. Opening many tabs or devices can get them removed.

Step 4: Alert only when they can act

Alert on a real, bookable match. On runs with no change, stay silent. Never send the same showtime or seat twice unless it gets better.

🎬 The Odyssey: IMAX 70mm seats just opened AMC Lincoln Square · Sat Sep 26, 7:00pm (your time) 2 together: Row J, seats 14–15, center, back half $33 each · $71.98 total with fees Seat map: [link] · Refundable online until showtime These went fast last time. Seats can reappear briefly when someone's checkout times out, so they may not last. Reply "got them" to stop, or "any IMAX" to widen the watch.

For an on-sale: the movie, which formats are live, theaters in their area with matching showtimes, direct links, and whether there's a queue.

Seat rules to apply before alerting:

IMAX: center, about two-thirds of the way back. On very tall screens, farther back is better.
Dolby Cinema: center, slightly closer than IMAX.
Recliner theaters: fewer rows, so avoid the front 2–3 rows. Avoid the front row for 4DX and IMAX.
Never suggest wheelchair or companion seats unless the person needs accessible seating. If they do, watch those seats specifically.

Step 5: Hand off the purchase

Send them to check out themselves, with a direct link to that showtime's seat map. Use the chain's own site if they're a member there, otherwise Fandango. Never hold seats, fill carts, or buy automatically.
Include fees in totals. Online convenience fees generally aren't refundable.
Mention the refund cutoff for that chain (verify): AMC online until showtime, Regal until 60 minutes before, Cinemark until 2 hours before for registered accounts, Fandango varies by theater. Special events can be stricter.
Point out savings when they apply (verify): AMC Stubs 50% off Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Regal Value Days on Tuesdays, Cinemark Discount Tuesdays, and memberships that waive online fees. Big releases and premium formats are sometimes excluded.
If anything is being bought with the person's saved payment, follow the safe-purchasing skill.

Don't

Don't send resale links for movie tickets. Scalped premium tickets were sold on eBay, Craigslist, and Reddit for The Odyssey at many times face value, and pay-first scams were common. Tickets are tied to the buyer's account and scanned at entry. If someone is considering one, use the scam-checker skill.
Don't alert on a showtime without checking the format, date, and time zone. Showtimes can post before seat maps work, so say so if the map isn't live yet.
Don't keep watching after they've bought, the window has passed, or they've stopped responding.

---
name: movie-tickets-lookout
description: Keep watch for movie tickets and ping someone the moment they can act, whether tickets go on sale, IMAX, 70mm, or Dolby showtimes open, new showtimes get added, or good seats free up in a sold-out show. Use this whenever someone says "tell me when tickets go on sale", wants opening-night or IMAX 70mm seats for a big release, missed a sold-out screening, wants to catch a re-release or anniversary showing, or asks what big movies are coming that they should grab tickets for, even if they never say "alert".
---

# Movie Tickets Lookout

Last verified: September 2026. Theater chains change apps, memberships, and refund rules often. Items marked **(verify)** were uncertain when written.

## Why this skill exists

For big releases, the good seats are gone in minutes, and the warning is short. The IMAX and premium-format on-sale for Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey* (July 2026) was announced the day before. Its IMAX 70mm run sold 95% of seats within an hour, a full year ahead. Chains don't go live in sync, premium formats get their own separate listings, and extra showtimes appear quietly after opening. A person can't refresh all of that. Your job is to watch the right listings at the right moments and ping them with a seat map link while seats still exist.

## Step 1: Set up in one message

Don't interview. One short message with defaults they can correct:

> I'll keep an eye on this. Quick setup, answer what you can:
> 1. **Which movie?** (Or say "the big ones" and I'll suggest upcoming releases worth watching for.)
> 2. **Where?** Your area or favorite theaters, and how far you'd go
> 3. **When?** Opening weekend, a date range, or times that work (e.g. "weeknights after 7")
> 4. **Format?** e.g. "IMAX 70mm, else any IMAX, else Dolby"
>
> I'll assume 2 seats together, centered, in the back half, unless you say otherwise.

Rules:
- If they already gave some of this, only ask for the rest.
- **"The big ones"**: look up upcoming wide releases and anticipated limited or premium-format events in the next few months, pick 3–5 likely to sell out (franchise tentpoles, director-driven premium-format releases, anniversary re-releases), and let them choose.
- Ask about memberships (AMC Stubs or A-List, Regal Rewards, Cinemark Movie Club, Alamo Victory, Fandango) only if it changes where to send them. Never ask for account passwords or sign in as them.

## Step 2: Check right now

1. **Find every listing that matches.** Premium versions are often separate "movies" on chain sites and Fandango (for example, a regular listing and a separate "IMAX 70mm Experience" listing). Watch all of them for the formats the person wants.
2. **Check the chain's own site or app as well as Fandango.** Chains don't go live at the same moment. For the *Interstellar* 10th-anniversary IMAX re-release, AMC's app sold tickets hours before Fandango did.
3. **Figure out where the release is in its lifecycle** and tell the person in one line:
   - **Not on sale yet**: when tickets are expected, if known
   - **On sale now**: send matching showtimes and seat maps immediately; this may not need a watch at all
   - **Sold out in their window**: watch for added showtimes and released seats
   - **Playing now**: watch for new weeks and extensions

## Step 3: Start the watch

Save a **watch spec** to memory so every check is identical, then schedule recurring checks with your scheduling or reminder tool.

```
Watch: movie-tickets-lookout
Movie: <title>, listings: <each matching listing, incl. separate premium-format ones>
Where: <theaters or area + max distance>
When: <dates / showtime window>, time zone: <person's zone>
Format (ranked): <e.g. IMAX 70mm > IMAX > Dolby > any>
Party: <n> seats together, seat rules: <e.g. center half, back half>
Alert on: <on-sale | matching showtimes | released seats>
Already alerted: <showtimes/seats sent, so they aren't repeated>
Stop: <tickets bought | last date in window | user says stop>
```

**How often to check:**

| Phase | Cadence |
|---|---|
| No on-sale news yet | once or twice a day: news, the studio's and IMAX's social accounts, chain pages |
| On-sale date rumored or announced | every 15–30 minutes around the likely time; send a heads-up 15–30 minutes before a known time |
| Tickets on sale, person hasn't bought | alert immediately, then once more if the best seats are going fast |
| Release and opening weeks | 1–2 times a day for added showtimes, more on Mon–Wed when theaters load the next week |
| Sold-out show they want, on show day | every 30–60 minutes, and closer together in the 2 hours before showtime, when cancellations free seats |
| Run extended or new 70mm/IMAX dates announced | check right away |

National on-sales have dropped at 9am PT / 12pm ET, and premium on-sales have been announced around midnight ET **(verify per release)**. Convert every time into the person's time zone and say which zone is which.

**Where to look:**
- **Turn on the official alerts too, and tell the person which ones you set up**: Fandango's FanAlert (the "Notify me" on a movie's page), IMAX ticket alerts on imax.com, the chain's app notifications, and the studio's or film's social accounts. They're often faster than any check you run.
- **Check public pages at a person's pace**: a few page loads per check, no bursts. Fandango's terms prohibit automated monitoring and scraping, so don't script heavy polling, and never try to get around a queue, bot check, or CAPTCHA. If a site blocks you, fall back to the official alerts and say so.
- **Queues**: when a virtual queue opens for a big on-sale, stop checking and tell the person to join it themselves. Opening many tabs or devices can get them removed.

## Step 4: Alert only when they can act

Alert on a real, bookable match. On runs with no change, stay silent. Never send the same showtime or seat twice unless it gets better.

> 🎬 **The Odyssey: IMAX 70mm seats just opened**
> AMC Lincoln Square · Sat Sep 26, 7:00pm (your time)
> **2 together: Row J, seats 14–15**, center, back half
> $33 each · $71.98 total with fees
> **Seat map:** [link] · Refundable online until showtime
> These went fast last time. Seats can reappear briefly when someone's checkout times out, so they may not last.
> Reply "got them" to stop, or "any IMAX" to widen the watch.

For an on-sale: the movie, which formats are live, theaters in their area with matching showtimes, direct links, and whether there's a queue.

**Seat rules to apply before alerting:**
- **IMAX**: center, about two-thirds of the way back. On very tall screens, farther back is better.
- **Dolby Cinema**: center, slightly closer than IMAX.
- **Recliner theaters**: fewer rows, so avoid the front 2–3 rows. Avoid the front row for 4DX and IMAX.
- **Never suggest wheelchair or companion seats** unless the person needs accessible seating. If they do, watch those seats specifically.

## Step 5: Hand off the purchase

- **Send them to check out themselves**, with a direct link to that showtime's seat map. Use the chain's own site if they're a member there, otherwise Fandango. Never hold seats, fill carts, or buy automatically.
- **Include fees in totals.** Online convenience fees generally aren't refundable.
- **Mention the refund cutoff for that chain** **(verify)**: AMC online until showtime, Regal until 60 minutes before, Cinemark until 2 hours before for registered accounts, Fandango varies by theater. Special events can be stricter.
- **Point out savings when they apply** **(verify)**: AMC Stubs 50% off Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Regal Value Days on Tuesdays, Cinemark Discount Tuesdays, and memberships that waive online fees. Big releases and premium formats are sometimes excluded.
- If anything is being bought with the person's saved payment, follow the `safe-purchasing` skill.

## Don't

- **Don't send resale links for movie tickets.** Scalped premium tickets were sold on eBay, Craigslist, and Reddit for *The Odyssey* at many times face value, and pay-first scams were common. Tickets are tied to the buyer's account and scanned at entry. If someone is considering one, use the `scam-checker` skill.
- Don't alert on a showtime without checking the format, date, and time zone. Showtimes can post before seat maps work, so say so if the map isn't live yet.
- Don't keep watching after they've bought, the window has passed, or they've stopped responding.