block booking

noun

1. a practice among motion-picture distributors of contracting with an exhibitor to show a predetermined series of films.

Word History and Origins

Origin of block booking¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

"I think between the various teams and the fact we're now block booking for Sundays, we're going to be hitting almost £10,000 this year," said Mr Hedges.

From BBC

And when a major venue announces its next block booking, what do we call it?

From New York Times

The resulting consent decree barred studios from also owning theaters and imposed other restrictions like an end to “block booking,” which forced theaters to book slates of films in advance.

From The Verge

But this block booking has cost about £400 million a month, whether or not the facilities were used.

From BBC

While more general antitrust laws would still apply, theaters stand to lose legal protection on issues regarding block booking and price setting — issues that can have an outsized effect on smaller movie houses.

From Seattle Times