Movies in Madison, WI: theaters, free screenings and film festivals

First-run theaters

These are the chain and dine-in theaters we could confirm on their own or official pages:

• Marcus Point Cinema, on the far west side: Marcus's page for the theater lists UltraScreen DLX and SuperScreen DLX auditoriums.
• AMC Fitchburg 18 & IMAX, in Fitchburg.
• Marcus Palace Cinema, in Sun Prairie.
• Flix Brewhouse, on the east side near East Towne Mall: a dine-in theater that also brews its own beer, with food delivered to your seat. Check its age and purchase policy page before bringing kids.

For silent film, Overture's Duck Soup Cinema series shows a few films a year in the restored Capitol Theater, with live accompaniment on the theater's Grand Barton organ.

For a full list of showtimes, use each chain's own site. See also our indoor things to do guide for rainy-day ideas.

UW Cinematheque

UW Cinematheque is the university's repertory screen, in 4070 Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave. (fourth floor). Its site says screenings are free and open to the public, seated first-come, first-served. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime, and no one is admitted more than 15 minutes after the scheduled start, so arrive early. Donations are accepted at the door or online.

The Cinematheque is the screening facility of the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research. It screens while the university is in session in fall and spring, and for four to five weeks in summer. Its programming draws on academic departments and student film groups, so check the calendar for the current series.

The Marquee at Union South

The Marquee is a 326-seat film venue on the second floor of Union South, 1308 W. Dayton St. The Wisconsin Union says it has dual 35mm projectors, an HD projection system and a sound system, and shows hundreds of films a year, from new releases to older favorites.

Most screenings are programmed by the student WUD Film committee, regularly on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays during the academic year, with occasional special screenings on other days. The Union says all WUD Film screenings are free. Schedules follow the semester, so look at the Union's Marquee page for what's playing.

Wisconsin Film Festival

The Wisconsin Film Festival is run by UW–Madison. Its website says the 29th festival is scheduled for April 8 to 15, 2027, an eight-day run. The festival has been running for almost 30 years, and its site says the most recent edition used seven theaters.

The festival's venues page lists UW Cinematheque, Music Hall (925 Bascom Mall), the Chazen Museum of Art, the Marquee, the Barrymore Theatre, the Bartell Theatre and Flix Brewhouse. Venues can change from year to year. The program and ticket details usually appear closer to the festival, so check wifilmfest.org in early 2027.

Outdoor and free summer screenings

The City of Madison Parks Division runs a free Movie in the Park series each summer. The program has carried the name of Sina Davis, a neighborhood advocate, since the city named it in her honor in July 2019. In summer 2026 the city posted free screenings at parks around the city; bring a blanket or lawn chair.

The Parks Division also lists Movie at The Glen nights at The Glen Golf Park, 3747 Speedway Rd. Outdoor screenings can be canceled for weather or air quality, so check the event page on the day. Next summer's lineup wasn't posted as of November 2026, so watch the city's Parks events page in late spring. See our free things to do guide for more no-cost options.

Free movies with a library card

The Madison Public Library's film page says it has a large collection of DVDs and Blu-rays you can check out at any location or place on hold through LINKcat, and it lends DVD players. It also lists occasional feature-film screenings at branch libraries.

For streaming, the library offers Kanopy, which it describes as free movies, TV, documentaries and kids' titles. Anyone with a Madison library card can use it, and your home library must be a subscribing library for remote access. The library says users get 12 tickets per month; each title costs a set number of tickets and has a viewing window. Kanopy Kids titles are unlimited, and tickets reset on the first of each month. Other area libraries have their own policies, as our libraries guide explains.