What's the greatest social crime you can commit in the cinema? Talking? Texting? How about calling?
Well AMC, a popular cinema chain in the US is apparently considering the rollout of 'texting-friendly' screenings.
In an interview with Variety, AMCs new CEO Adam Aron admitted that today's younger audience demands a more social cinema experience.
"When you tell a 22-year-old to turn off the phone, don’t ruin the movie, they hear please cut off your left arm above the elbow."
Smartphones are a controversial element of the cinema-going process, not only are they used to illegally film screenings but they are a social minefield when it comes to enjoying the 'traditional' cinema experience.
Despite that, Aron believes that no matter how much you might hate smartphones in the cinema, you're coming up against a brick wall.
"You can’t tell a 22-year-old to turn off their cellphone. That’s not how they live their life."
So what does that mean? Is the golden age of cinema now well and truly dead?
Not quite, Aron admits in the interview that people who want to text throughout a film are still in the minority and so just allowing it across every cinema wouldn't be sensible.
Instead Aron says the company is currently having a discussion about how they can give every type of audience the cinema experience that they want.