The Admiral Twin is a longstanding Tulsa landmark, situated just off the famed Route 66. Since it opened, nearly 75 years ago, the theater has seen its share of ups and downs. Fifteen years ago, it burned down but soon reopened.
The popularity of streaming rose while theater attendance dropped, and the Admiral Twin still forged ahead. That said, drive-ins (and cinemas in general) are not as popular as they once were, and the future of the theater is uncertain. Maybe, with the centennial of Route 66 and with Tulsa’s recent designation as the capital of Route 66, the Admiral Twin will see a resurgence of business.
The story of the Admiral Twin begins in 1951, during the golden age of drive-in movie theaters. Also, its beginnings occurred during the height of Route 66’s popularity. During the nearly 40 years under the current owner, Blake Smith, the theater has survived the age of the megaplex, the rise of VHS and DVD, a devastating fire, and, most recently, the days of movie streaming services.
In an interview with Smith, another difficulty the theater faces is reaching consumers who have shifted away from traditional news sources to social media platforms.
“It’s really hard to get to people anymore…in the 90s this place was really hopping…everybody knew what we were doing,” said Smith. It was so easy to promote back then.” This is no longer the case, with the public being so divided among different media platforms. There were also not many blockbuster movies this year to bring people out, but Smith has a positive outlook, hoping that next year will see the release of some bigger films.
This coming year, the drive-in’s 75th anniversary will coincide with the centennial celebration of the historic Route 66. The centennial, occurring on May 30, 2026, is expected to draw in thousands of international visitors to Tulsa. Among the proposed plans for the occasion is a potentially Guinness World Record-breaking parade featuring thousands of classic automobiles.
An event of such scale could, no doubt, attract many customers to any businesses along the original route of the classic American highway.
As of the writing of this article, there are no plans set in stone for Admiral Twin to participate in the Route 66 centennial festivities. On May 29, the theater will host an event to celebrate its 75th anniversary since its opening, and though it is yet to be determined how, it will most likely honor Route 66 in some way on the day of the centennial.
In recent years, theater attendance has been in decline. Some would say that the future of movie theaters is uncertain. Still, according to a CNBC article titled, “Movie theaters aren’t dying — they’re evolving,” industry insiders are optimistic about the future of the movie theater business.
In line with the trend of movie theaters evolving, or adapting, the Admiral Twin is making changes of its own, such as renovating its concession stand. Perhaps, with the upgrades in store for the theater, as well as the increase in traffic from international visitors on Route 66, Tulsa’s landmark drive-in’s business will thrive. To keep up to date on the Admiral Twin’s events, visit https://admiraltwindrivein.com
