Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service, is bringing back its popular and award-winning “Free Movie Weekend” this summer. The program supports family-run and independent theaters nationwide by providing free movie tickets on select weekends, encouraging audiences to experience films in their local theaters. This year, Pluto TV teams up with Oscar-winning filmmaker Sean Baker to spotlight independent cinemas and enhance the program’s mission.
Program Background and Growth
Launched in 2021, “Free Movie Weekend” was designed to help communities recover after cinema closures due to the pandemic by encouraging patrons to return to theaters. Now in its fifth season, the initiative has hosted 50 free weekends across 30 states, becoming a nationwide celebration of local cinema.
Partnership with Sean Baker
Sean Baker, known for his passion for independent film and fresh off his historic 2025 Academy Awards wins, is the first filmmaker to officially partner with “Free Movie Weekend.” He has nominated Gardena Cinema in Los Angeles, a historic family-run independent theater, to be the program’s sponsored local venue this year.
Featured Theaters and Dates
- Gardena Cinema – Los Angeles, CA: June 7-8
- Tara Theater – Atlanta, GA: June 14-15
- The Music Box Theatre – Chicago, IL: June 21-22
- The Redford Theater – Detroit, MI: June 28-29
- The Colonial Theatre – Phoenixville, PA: July 5-6
Additional Programming: Summer of Cinema
Alongside “Free Movie Weekend,” Pluto TV will feature its “Summer of Cinema” throughout June, July, and August with hundreds of popular films and franchises such as Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, Terminator, Star Trek, Interstellar, and Wolf of Wall Street, all available to stream for free.
Quote from Sean Baker
“Local cinemas are cultural touchstones and gathering places where communities experience stories as they were meant to be seen: on the big screen,” said Sean Baker. “I’m honored to partner with Pluto TV to spotlight the independent theaters that sustain the art of cinema.”
