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AMC Theaters Preparing to Opt Out of MoviePass Program
AMC Theaters is already working to fight against MoviePass, following the company’s decision to massively decrease prices for unlimited tickets. Started by Netflix executive Mitch Lowe, MoviePass began in 2011 as a new service that worked with theater chains to give consumers great deals to see multiple films a month. Thanks to various rules and regulations regarding which films MoviePass users could see and when, their tier system allowed audiences to chose a plan that best suited their movie going tendencies.
That changed earlier today when MoviePass announced a brand new monthly plan starting at $10 that granted access to unlimited films (but one a day) each month at participating theaters. So what’s the catch? There isn’t a major one now that MoviePass can be used in any theater chain that accepts credit cards. However, the low price of admission is not sitting well with the world’s biggest movie chain, AMC Theaters.
Mashable shared a full press release from AMC Theaters following MoviePass’ announcement where the company revealed its intentions to take legal action to not have to honor these tickets. AMC states their concern stems from a belief this new plan will be profitable for MoviePass, but hurt them, theaters, and consumers in the long run should it end. You can read the full press release at the previous link, but here is the closing excerpt:
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While AMC is not opposed to subscription programs generally, the one envisioned by MoviePass is not one AMC can embrace. We are actively working now to determine whether it may be feasible to opt out and not participate in this shaky and unsustainable program.
With AMC being the first theater chain to push back on this new package from MoviePass, it will not be surprising if other theaters follow suit. Not only could this plan backfire should MoviePass ultimately raise their prices back to what they’ve been before (between $40-$50 per month for a similar deal), but AMC also notes the impact it could have on the film community in general.
Less money being spent on tickets would result in every single film that hits theaters making less money. Instead of diehard fans of specific franchises seeing the biggest blockbusters multiple times in theaters and spending the average $8.84 per ticket (figure based on an early 2017 report), they could see it every single day it is in theaters for less than $30 potentially.
Theaters make a fair share of their earnings from concessions to begin with, so really they should want as many people in their establishments as possible. But, the potential negative outcomes in the long run may not outweigh the short-term gain AMC and other chains could experience. With MoviePass’ new deal so fresh, this will undoubtedly be a story that continues to develop. For future updates, continue reading Screen Rant to stay up to date on MoviePass.
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