The new system allows customers to bypass the box office by allowing them to buy tickets online with a credit card and print them out. The tickets contain bar codes readable by scanners at the theater door.

Moviefone.com already has an Internet-based ticket ordering system for the movies in several major cities. But while the tickets can be reserved online, they still must be picked up at the box office.

Moviefone.com, operated by AOL Moviefone Inc., and United Artists Theatres began testing the new admission system in Seattle this week and six other leading movie chains announced Wednesday that they have similar Internet ventures in the works.

Entertainment Web site Hollywood.com also plans to join the fray with MovieTickets.com.

The site is scheduled to debut around Memorial Day, in time for "Mission: Impossible 2" and other big summer releases. Theater chains AMC and National Amusements are partners in the site, and CBS on Wednesday announced it bought 5 percent of MovieTickets.com in exchange for $25 million worth of advertising on the networks TV and radio stations.

"When Tom Cruise's 'Mission: Impossible 2' opens, it's going to be very hard to get a ticket," Hollywood.com President Laurie Silvers said Wednesday at ShoWest, a convention for theater owners.

"If you want to see it opening weekend, the last thing you want is to show up and see a line around the block, knowing you're not going to get in."

Meanwhile, a yet-to-be-named Internet service is planned for launch this summer by theater chains General Cinema, Regal Cinemas, Loews, Cinemark, Edwards and Century. The companies operate about 12,000 screens in North America, nearly a third of the industry total.

At first, the services will offer show times and let filmgoers pay for tickets online, but the tickets still would have to be picked up at the theater. The real innovation is emerging technology to allow tickets to be printed at home, which the upcoming services said they hope to add within a year.

"That's the big 'wow,"' said Lawrence Ruisi, Loews chief executive. "That's what's going to get people to push the button."

Ordering the movie tickets online will, in most cases, carry a service fee of a dollar or two, on top of the admission price, though executives say such fees eventually could be reduced or eliminated as the sites gain advertising revenue.

Moviefone and companies such as E-Stamp Corp. and ETM Entertainment Network showed off their versions of bar-coding systems at ShoWest, trying to interest theater owners.

"We don't expect to replace people walking up to the movie counter and buying tickets, but we'll offer a new convenience for people who want to buy their tickets at home," said Bo Ewald, E-Stamp president.

ETM's technology includes a ticketless option that would allow people to pay online by credit card, then gain entry to theaters by having their cards swiped through a scanner.

"You wouldn't need a ticket, ever," said John Nicoletti, ETM marketing director.