Would you pay to see a movie without knowing what it was? You can in Las Vegas

Between the spoilers littering social media and Hollywood’s reliance on remakes and sequels, it’s harder than ever to be surprised at the movies.

One of the best ways to give moviegoers something unexpected? Withhold the name of the movie they’re paying to see.

It’s one of the few things competing theater chains can agree on: hosting mystery screenings of upcoming releases, always at 7 p.m. Mondays, and always at the discounted ticket price of $5.

“I think people like something new,” says Ryan Wood, senior vice president and head film buyer for AMC Theatres. “It’s kinda nuts. I don’t think I would ever sit in an auditorium and not know what I’m going to see. But adding to the theatrical experience has been something that (audiences) have really enjoyed.”

The only information moviegoers are given is the film’s rating and approximate run time. Horror movies, because they’re so polarizing, will be labeled as such. AMC, which runs the Screen Unseen program, has a separate Scream Unseen program for horror titles.

Otherwise, pretty much anything could happen. A group of rebellious teens at a faith-based film? It’s a possibility. A dozen self-proclaimed alpha males showing up for a rom-com? Same.

“People are really excited about it,” says Julia McCartha, public relations manager for Cinemark, which offers the Secret Movie Series. “They love to try to guess the movie.”

To that end, there are websites, Facebook groups and subreddits dedicated to trying to suss out the next mystery title. People on the West Coast have an advantage if they truly want to know what’s showing, because moviegoers in other time zones will post the titles as soon as their shows start.

But there’s something to be said about being completely in the dark — even before the lights go out.

Your next chance is Monday

Mystery screenings don’t happen every week, and not every chain participates each time out. July 7 was the most recent night a mystery movie played a wide range of screenings, including AMC, Cinemark, Regal’s Monday Mystery Movie and the Maya Monday Mystery Movie. (The next widespread mystery movie is scheduled for this Monday.)

Following a round of commercials and several trailers, the Sundance selection “Oh, Hi!” began playing without fanfare or an introduction. It was up to ticketbuyers to just go with it and decide whether they wanted to stick it out.

No one left during the dark dating comedy starring Molly Gordon (“The Bear”) and Logan Lerman. There was nervous laughter throughout. But it didn’t feel like the sort of film many in the audience would have paid to see under normal circumstances.

And that’s entirely the point.

The goal, says AMC’s Wood, is “to select a title in partnership with the studios that our guests are going to like and talk about, more importantly. We want someone to see it and say, ‘Man, I probably wouldn’t have seen that. I can’t wait to tell my friends to go see that.’ ”

It’s a communal experience

The mystery movie programs date back to at least late 2022, but their popularity didn’t really take off until last Nov. 18 with screenings of “Gladiator II,” says Cinemark’s McCartha. Showing “Jurassic World Rebirth” on June 23, more than a week before its release, only added to the hype.

Those films, though, are the exception. Mystery movies tend to be those that the studios believe in and could use some positive word of mouth. Think Oscar nominees (“September 5,” “Sing Sing” and “American Fiction”) and Sundance favorites (“My Old Ass,” “Kneecap” and “Theater Camp”). There’s also the chance it could be a movie that you’ve still never heard of. “Mafia Mamma,” “The Legend of Ochi” and “It’s a Wonderful Knife” come to mind.

The screenings have become a standard part of a film’s marketing campaign. AMC’s Wood says he’s already in discussions with a studio for a potential Screen Unseen booking in November.

As for the theaters, the mystery movies draw crowds on what traditionally is a slow night. Those moviegoers, in turn, purchase concessions, where the real money is for theater owners.

For the “Oh, Hi!” screening, Fandango showed 75 tickets had been sold at Regal Aliante as of the 7 p.m. start. Among the other movies with similar start times, “F1” had sold 24 tickets, “Jurassic World Rebirth” had sold 22, “M3GAN 2.0” had sold nine and “28 Years Later” had sold eight.

The discounted price definitely plays a role in the success of the programs, but the communal nature of the experience is key, says Cinemark’s McCartha.

“I think people really kind of love that they truly have no idea what it’s going to be,” she says. “It could be a huge blockbuster. It could be a small indie drama. We really have made sure that we include a lot of films across all different studios and genres so that it truly is always a surprise.”