Screeny, a platform that brings creator premieres into cinemas, is testing whether online fandom can translate into ticketed theatrical demand. 

The company says it has sold out every premiere it has hosted since launching in October 2025, with events ranging from 100-seat venues to a single 3,000-plus-seat theater. Screeny says tens of thousands of fans have attended its events across markets, with some premieres selling out within hours.

The platform gives creators a way to screen original content in theaters before wider release, turning digital audiences into in-person attendees. For theater operators, the model offers an alternative programming format built around creator followings rather than studio release schedules or traditional marketing campaigns.

Turning Online Audiences Into Theater Demand

Screeny’s pitch is that creators’ direct relationships with fans can function as a distribution engine. Instead of relying on conventional film marketing or studio-backed promotional budgets, the company says its events are driven by creators’ existing audience connections. 

“Creators have built some of the most passionate audiences in entertainment,” said Elizabeth McLead, founder of Screeny. “We’re giving them a way to bring those audiences together in a unique way to experience their work, celebrate it, and connect in a way that simply doesn’t happen on a screen alone.”

The company notes that each event is designed to extend beyond the premiere itself, including red carpet moments, exclusive merchandise, live interactions, and other fan-focused programming.

Screeny has partnered with Cinemark and Marcus Theatres, as well as regional and independent operators, including Apple Cinemas. The company says it has activated hundreds of screens in a single day and has multiple upcoming events confirmed with major creators.

Social Discovery Moves Into Live Entertainment

Screeny’s expansion comes as social media plays a larger role in how audiences discover live entertainment. According to a 2023 Ticketmaster report, 78% of fans source information about theatrical productions through social media channels, up from 2% to 3% in 2013. The same research found that 47% of fans prefer attending theater with friends.

That behavior gives Screeny’s model a clear connection to the Creator Economy. If creators can move audiences from online discovery to ticketed attendance, theaters may gain another programming category, while creators may gain another format for turning fan attention into offline revenue.

Screeny’s reported sellouts offer an early test of whether creator-driven theatrical events can generate demand beyond digital platforms. The larger question is whether that demand can scale consistently across creators, markets, and theater partners.

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