New Yorkers expect to go through security screenings at airports, courthouses and even Yankee Stadium -- and now, movie theaters can be added to the list.
Regal Movies is now searching bags and backpacks at all 580 locations, and at Union Square Wednesday, signs advised moviegoers of its policy.
Many customers were surprised.
"I didn't know it was a security check," said one customer. "Now I'm a little more worried because you don't expect it."
Still, he said, "I would open my bag at the movies. It's no big deal."
Another moviegoer remarked, "It doesn't seem like a hotbed of terrorist activity here."
But it didn't feel that way in Colorado, Louisiana or Tennessee, either. Attacks at three theaters in three years left 16 dead and at least 80 injured.
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Earlier this month, James Holmes received a life sentence for killing 12 people when he opened fire at an Aurora, Colorado theater in 2012. In his journal, he wrote that the chose a theater over an airport based on security.
Regal Cinemas says "security issues have become a daily part of our lives in America," and "to ensure the safety of our guests and employees, backpacks and bags of any kind are subject to inspection prior to admission."
"We acknowledge that this procedure can cause some inconvenience and that it is not without flaws, but hope these are minor in comparison to increased safety," the company says.
A customer in Union Square agreed: "It's the world we live in, especially here in New York City."
But some heading into a late afternoon show were a little more conflicted, seeing it as an invasion of privacy.
"I generally don't like people going through my stuff," said another customer.
Earlier this month, Showcase Cinemas banned backpacks altogether.
