Honda Motor Co Ltd (ADR) (HMC), Regal Entertainment Group (RGC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (CNK): The Next Victim of Digital Movies

For the studios, the conversion is a no-brainer: It costs about $1,500 to print and distribute film, but just $150 for a digital version. While there is an incentive program in place to repay drive-ins up to 80% of the cost for converting, the owners are still hard-pressed to front the money. The United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association estimates only 50 to 60 drive-ins have made the move thus far.

Despite the absence of American automakers helping to create awareness of the risks, Honda Motor Co Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:HMC) has already received more than 830,000 votes from moviegoers for their favorite drive-ins and has received more than $19,000 in contributions to help defray the costs for more theaters.

There’s only a little more than two weeks to vote in Project Drive-In. Most drive-in theaters typically close in winter, and the likelihood they won’t reopen their screens in the spring means the time to vote for your favorite drive-in is now — then head out there and watch a movie, or jump in the back seat like you used to for a little different entertainment.

The article The Next Victim of Digital Movies originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Rich Duprey.

Fool contributor Rich Duprey has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Ford, General Motors, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Ford and Walt Disney.

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