Ster-Kinekor launching its own drive-in in Cape Town, will screen select new releases

One of the biggest surprises of 2020 (and there were a lot of them!) was the revival of drive-in movie theatres. A blast from the past that had been all but extinct just a year ago, drive-ins have helped an industry on very shaky legs right now to at least stay upright in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic shutting everything down. As families were able to get out and watch movies all from the safety and comfort of their cars, it offered a great distraction from the apocalypse outside. In Cape Town, at least four different drive-ins have popped up in the last few months (Galileo Open Air Cinema, Go Drive-In, and Hillcrest Quarry Roadhouse, with the Mother City Drive-In still under construction) and they’ve all been reasonably successful. There’s one drawback to all of them though: They’re playing old movies.

While rewatching a classic like Back to the Future on a big screen is great, some new movies would be better. The distribution licenses for those new movies are still in the hands of the traditional cinema chains though. But what if one of those chains had their own drive-in? Well, that’s exactly what’s happened now as Ster-Kinekor Theatres, South Africa’s biggest cinema chain has announced that it is opening its own drive-in in Cape Town.

As per the press release, the new drive-in is situated in the Victoria Wharf car park at the V&A Waterfront and is opening this coming Friday, 27 November. Making use of a 14-meter-wide “state-of-the-art LED outdoor movie screen” will allow the drive-in to have “the best picture resolution for the day and night screenings”, while audio will be broadcast to your car’s own sound system. (Pro tip: If you have an older car, get yourself a portable FM radio to use or you may just find yourself with a flat car battery by the end of the movie)

The first new release will be the upcoming Nicolas Cage-led sci-fi action film Jiu Jitsu, which will be showing at 19:00 on Friday night. Further screenings will take place on Thursdays 19:00, Saturdays at 15:00 and 19:00 and Sundays at 14:00 and 18:00. The earlier screenings are meant to keep things a bit more family-friendly, and this includes shows for the new animated release 100% Wolf. Other films on the roster is a mix of new and old including Avengers: Endgame, The Incredibles, The Greatest Showman, and more. Ticket prices will be a flat rate of R250 per car any new releases, while older films will be cheaper at R220 per car. I think this is a great idea.

You can prepurchase snacks and refreshments online (R100 for a double popcorn and soda combo, R50 for single), which will then be delivered to your car in sealed bags to maintain safety protocols. However, Ster-Kinekor will also allow you to bring in whatever treats you feel like. A picnic basket, pizza, sweets – it’s all up to you. Just note: No alcohol will be allowed.

Other things to note: There is no reserved parking, so getting there early is advised (gates open 90 mins before the showtime). However, Ster-Kinekor assures that the screen is completely visible from all spots and will also direct SUV and other bigger vehicles to the rear of the venue to prevent any possible obstruction. Ster-Kinekor also advises that the outdoor venue is designed to work in all weather conditions and screenings will only be cancelled if the conditions are severe enough to pose a safety risk to patrons. As such, unlike the likes of the Galileo Open Air Cinemas, tickets will not be refundable if you don’t pitch due to some iffy weather.

You can get more info about the movie lineup for the next few weeks over HERE with additional info listed under the FAQ section of each movie when making a booking.

Last Updated: November 24, 2020