The new CEO of American cinema giant AMC, Adam Aron, has given tentative but official approval to a pet hate of so many older movie-goers: texting during the film.

In an interview with Variety Aron said he was open to changing the rules to allow texting during the movie in order to get millennial customers to attend "with the same degree of intensity" that their grandparents, the baby boomers did.

"When you tell a 22-year-old to turn off the phone, don't ruin the movie, they hear 'please cut off your left arm above the elbow," Aron told Variety.

"You can't tell a 22-year-old to turn off their cellphone. That's not how they live their life."

AMC has cinemas in 434 locations in North America and China, employing 26,000 people.

Movie audiences in the US and in Australia are warned to switch off their phones by on-screen ads before a film starts. Ignoring that and using your phone is likely to draw a snappish response from those around you.

Aron, who has been in the role just four months, acknowledged "today's moviegoer doesn't want somebody sitting next to them texting or having their phone on.

"We're going to have to figure out a way to do it that doesn't disturb today's audiences."

One solution, he said, would be separate sections for phone users.

Australian chains Hoyts and Village have been approached for comment.