As streaming publishers continue to squeeze more cash out of their viewers,MoviePass- the once-failed all-you-can-visit cinema subscription service - announced it’s ready to come back. After a closed beta period, the new-look program is expanding across the US just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. We’ll go through what the company is saying about the launch and detail how it works.
Stacy Spikes, one of MoviePass’s co-founders and now its owner, made the announcement during a packaged segment onABC’sGood Morning Americawhich, albeit very quickly, noted the history of the company’s rise from 2011 and its 2019 bankruptcy.
“It went bankrupt as we properly figured it would, and then last yearI bought it back,” Spikes said. “We’ve gotten the experience really down tight. And we’re already seeing lots of people that are already on the platform.”
MoviePass' revivalbegan as a beta test in select markets last summer with a model that’s a marked departure from the previous one: A $10 per month subscription that let customers watch as many movies in theaters as they could book tickets for.
How does MoviePass work?
A MoviePass subscription offers a monthly credit allowance that customers can redeem for specific bookings. You’ll spend fewer credits for an airing on Tuesdays than you would for a matinée on any other weekday. Flicks are most expensive on their opening weekends. Right now, the service is only offering 2D screenings, so no IMAX and none of those crazy chairs that shake around pumping scents and mist. You’ll be able to pick up tickets at any of more than 4,000 locations nationwide.
Redeeming credits
Redeeming credits for tickets requires you to make a “purchase” using a MoviePass-branded debit card provided with your subscription.
Which cinemas support MoviePass?
You’ll not only find big-name theater chains like AMC, Alamo Drafthouse, Regal, and others on the list, but smaller independent outfits as well as performing arts centers and even libraries. A state-by-state list is available fromMoviePass.
How much does MoviePass cost?
There are four plan tiers on offer. If you live in the New York City area or Southern California, you’ll pay higher rates than people who live elsewhere.
Here are the details:
NYC/SoCal Pricing
Estimated viewings per month
The company says its Pro plan is available in specific markets and is limited in supply. Any unused credits at the end of the month can be rolled over for up to two months.
Is MoviePass worth it?
Considering that even a single movie ticket in some metropolitan areas costs more than a month of MoviePass Basic, you might be up for a real bargain if the company’s estimates hold up. Of course, in reality, mileages will vary.
One beta tester who lives in the Washington DC area shared movie credit values for screenings across different periods of the week onReddit, which generally adhere to the company’s guidance. A Basic plan could even yield four tickets if they were all booked on Tuesdays.
On the flip side,another Redditorfrom around Los Angeles lamented that evening showings were being valued north of 60 credits and that the company took down a timeslot valuation chart from the website (viaInternet Archive). Presumably, we’ll be seeing further tinkering to what we might call the MoviePass credit market as program adoption and ticket demand gyrates.
