Is a movie played in a theater or at a theater?
In the US, the verb play is usually active with regard to movies, rather than passive.
- The movie is playing at the Bijou.
- The movie plays in local theaters before going to DVD.
Both prepositional forms, at and in are regularly found, but in is more common with the generic term theater and at with the specific theater name.
With the verb show, the passive form is found, and in is more common.
The movie is being shown in a theater.
With truncated forms, either preposition can be used:
- Now in a theater near you!
- Now at a theater near you!