On 28th January 2026, the Prince Charles Cinema (PCC) in London announced that it would be hosting an exclusive in conversation event with actor Timothee Chalamet, coming straight off the back of his Oscar nomination for the critically acclaimed Marty Supreme.
The next day, when tickets were put on sale, the website dealt with several server issues due to the sheer volume of people who came to the site trying to get tickets.
Needless to say, this event was a sellout, and it came only about a year on from the start of the ‘Save the PCC’ campaign, which was set up to fight a potential closure threat to the iconic cinema due to lease term agreements.
All over the country, independent and historic cinemas are at risk of closing down due to operational costs, rental disputes and declining attendance. That’s why it’s so important for modern-day movie stars, such as Timothy Chalomet, to help draw attention back to cinemas to help save independent venues across London.
Star Power Making Cinemas Iconic Again
The influence of movie stars in supporting local cinemas cannot be understated. For years, iconic names such as Leo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, and Tom Cruise have had enough draw power to fill seats in films they starred in, increasing ticket and concession sales for cinemas.
The latest movie star to generate this amount of hype is Timothee Chalamet, who has gone from strength to strength since his breakthrough in Interstellar (2014). His 2024 Bob Dylan biopic made approximately $140 million during its global theatrical run. Marty Supreme, in 2025, made over $100 million in cinemas worldwide – a great run for a non-franchise film, which further shows the huge pull that Chalamet has.
Independent London cinemas such as PCC and The Garden Cinema have certainly benefited from more people turning up to cinemas to see these stars like Chalamet. Furthermore, Chalamet has chosen to support these historic venues personally by showing up to promotional events. There was even an unveiling of a Chalamet wax figure at a special debut event held at the Garden Cinema.
Why Cinemas Have Struggled
A major cause of the recent struggles faced by cinemas is the rise of streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. This allows people to watch films wherever they like.
More and more people are watching modern and classic films on mobile and desktop devices. These titles can even be transferred into other media, such as King Kong Crash Climber on slots online UK, which further showcases how accessible films can be across different platforms.
Now that people can watch movies from their homes, fewer people are going to the cinema and purchasing tickets. This, in turn, greatly financially impacts independent cinemas as less money is coming through.
According to the independent cinema office, over 40% of venues are at risk of closing in the next one to three years. That’s why movie stars such as Timothy Chalamet are so important for saving local cinemas in London and worldwide.
