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In the end a service like MoviePass will be needed, noone wants one just tied to one theater chain most likely though it will be that way for a while if not ind

In the end a service like MoviePass will be needed, noone wants one just tied to one theater chain most likely though it will be that way for a while if not indefinitely. It looks like this iteration of a movie service independent of movie theaters just won't be it. As it has been said, theaters are empty much of the time and they make major margins from their concessions. You'd think more of them would have gone for it. Maybe somehow they tie it to concessions sales in that you can get 19.99 a month or something if you aren't buying concessions but 14.99 or 9.99 with limited movies if you are buying concessions and that is tracked through the card. At that point it is a loyalty/rewards program and you could go to the theaters with ROI in that the customers you bring in are x% concessions buyers for x amount. Seems like an easier sell hooked to concessions sales. Theaters pay between 5-20k per film per week and make almost nothing from ticket sales, if not lose some depending on the distributor and if they are first run theaters. Theaters NEED concession sales more than ticket sales. It seems a service that allows free movies that ties pricing to concessions would do better. Or, we'll just be stuck with theater bound movie services which is essentially a local theater only rewards program.

jrs95 8y ago
Honestly nevermind being tied to one theater chain, I wouldn’t mind being tied to one theater. I go to the same one almost all of the time anyways. And even if I didn’t, there are enough AMCs around that it’s not much of a value add for me to have something that works at different chains.
- mehrzad 8y ago
  Well there are no A24 movies at the AMC theaters near me, so I need at least one theater that plays independent movies and one that plays wide release. That's why Moviepass is still worth it for me. (disclaimer I have some shares)
- swozey 8y ago
  I live in a city with Alamo Drafthouses and I refuse to ever visit an AMC/Regal/etc after moving here. I'm fine with them making their own monthly payment programs.
  - diab0lic 8y ago
    I went to one of these with a friend last year and it has spoiled me for standard theatres. Would definitely pay a subscription if there was one near my place.
  - indecisive_user 8y ago
    Have you been to an AMC lately? The one near me upgraded a lot of their show rooms and though I've never been to an Alamo Drafthouse, they both seem to have a lot of the same features from what I can find. Reserved seating, print e-tickets at their robo kiosk, comfortable reclining seats, full bar with pub food. I know that AD theaters have a lot of niche showings and cool events, but as far as just watching the latest blockbuster, are there other advantages?
    - scarface74 8y ago
      You don’t have to print out tickets with AMC. You buy the tickets and they scan the QR code on your phone.
    - baddox 8y ago
      Indeed, and I’ve never been to an Alamo Drafthouse, but I’m fairly sure they have nothing that can even touch my nearest AMC which has a true IMAX screen and a Dolby Cinema screen.
  - copperx 8y ago
    Same for me, but the Alamo is 30 mins away from home. When I'm not feeling like driving that much I just go to a Cinemark.
- drawkbox 8y ago
  Plenty of customers probably don't mind, but the moment they will mind is when they want to see a movie that is sold out at one of their common theaters and go to another theater not in the same chain. People do tend to use the same theaters except for special runs of movies or when movies are so big that you might need to go to another theater due to sold out showings at your favorites. I could see this non-issue of theater locked programs being heavily complained about when those types of customers get in that situation. The other problem I see with theater locked ones it that they give special treatment like cut in lines and such that may turn off non program patrons to a certain theater. Independent products just seem to also have the customer in mind more than the brand/theater itself, plus it creates competition for these customers if concessions is tied to it.
  - scarface74 8y ago
    Plenty of customers probably don't mind, but the moment they will mind is when they want to see a movie that is sold out at one of their common theaters and go to another theater not in the same chain. With AMC Stubs A+, you buy the ticket in advance from the app (something you couldn’t do with movie pass). You would know if a movie is sold out. Some of the AMCs have reserved seating where you can choose your seat in advance from the app. That lets us get in after the commercials and trailers and still be guaranteed a good seat.
    - drawkbox 8y ago
      Yeah, those are nice features, but I was mainly talking about when you check the app or buy the tickets ahead and it is sold out or doesn't have ideal reserved seating left, from there if you want to see it now you have to pay full price without the movie benefit at another chain. This can happen especially on opening nights. We always book our tickets online ahead of time and only go to reserved seating theaters without any service currently, reserved seating is a must for a good experience. For instance here in AZ we have AMC, Harkins, Regal and Alamo Drafthouses that have common theaters we go to. I'd prefer a service that they all are a part of, but it is probably just a dream, maybe a few can team up on it at least. I think a third party independent service focuses on the customer more and it seems like it would benefit gaining more customers to theater chains that aren't already locked in customers.
toast0 8y ago
I don't think being tied to a single chain is too big of a deal. Everywhere I've lived there's really been one dominant chain, and usually an alternate chain. Almost always, I go to only one or two theaters, so it wouldn't be a big deal to be stuck to one place. It's different than say, I probably wouldn't want to pay for watch all the Warner Bros movies you want, because I would like to have a variety of studios
bdcravens 8y ago
> In the end a service like MoviePass will be needed, noone wants one just tied to one theater chain I also wish all restaurants were on all the delivery services. I don't think it'll happen, nor do I have an expectation that consolidation is inevitable.
maerF0x0 8y ago
> noone wants one just tied to one theater chain most likely though it will be that way for a while if not indefinitely I'd take a single location to be honest. I'd say > 90% of my movie going in the past 5 yrs has been the same location. For the edge cases I can pay cash.
talltimtom 8y ago
> noone wants one just tied to one theater chain Not being American I have to ask why? Could you elaborate on that need? I see maybe a dozen movies a year, at mostly 3 cinemas all in the same chain. Why a need for multiple chains? Do only some chains show some movies or something?

jrs95 8y ago

Honestly nevermind being tied to one theater chain, I wouldn’t mind being tied to one theater. I go to the same one almost all of the time anyways. And even if I didn’t, there are enough AMCs around that it’s not much of a value add for me to have something that works at different chains.

mehrzad 8y ago
Well there are no A24 movies at the AMC theaters near me, so I need at least one theater that plays independent movies and one that plays wide release. That's why Moviepass is still worth it for me. (disclaimer I have some shares)
swozey 8y ago
I live in a city with Alamo Drafthouses and I refuse to ever visit an AMC/Regal/etc after moving here. I'm fine with them making their own monthly payment programs.
- diab0lic 8y ago
  I went to one of these with a friend last year and it has spoiled me for standard theatres. Would definitely pay a subscription if there was one near my place.
- indecisive_user 8y ago
  Have you been to an AMC lately? The one near me upgraded a lot of their show rooms and though I've never been to an Alamo Drafthouse, they both seem to have a lot of the same features from what I can find. Reserved seating, print e-tickets at their robo kiosk, comfortable reclining seats, full bar with pub food. I know that AD theaters have a lot of niche showings and cool events, but as far as just watching the latest blockbuster, are there other advantages?
  - scarface74 8y ago
    You don’t have to print out tickets with AMC. You buy the tickets and they scan the QR code on your phone.
  - baddox 8y ago
    Indeed, and I’ve never been to an Alamo Drafthouse, but I’m fairly sure they have nothing that can even touch my nearest AMC which has a true IMAX screen and a Dolby Cinema screen.
- copperx 8y ago
  Same for me, but the Alamo is 30 mins away from home. When I'm not feeling like driving that much I just go to a Cinemark.
drawkbox 8y ago
Plenty of customers probably don't mind, but the moment they will mind is when they want to see a movie that is sold out at one of their common theaters and go to another theater not in the same chain. People do tend to use the same theaters except for special runs of movies or when movies are so big that you might need to go to another theater due to sold out showings at your favorites. I could see this non-issue of theater locked programs being heavily complained about when those types of customers get in that situation. The other problem I see with theater locked ones it that they give special treatment like cut in lines and such that may turn off non program patrons to a certain theater. Independent products just seem to also have the customer in mind more than the brand/theater itself, plus it creates competition for these customers if concessions is tied to it.
- scarface74 8y ago
  Plenty of customers probably don't mind, but the moment they will mind is when they want to see a movie that is sold out at one of their common theaters and go to another theater not in the same chain. With AMC Stubs A+, you buy the ticket in advance from the app (something you couldn’t do with movie pass). You would know if a movie is sold out. Some of the AMCs have reserved seating where you can choose your seat in advance from the app. That lets us get in after the commercials and trailers and still be guaranteed a good seat.
  - drawkbox 8y ago
    Yeah, those are nice features, but I was mainly talking about when you check the app or buy the tickets ahead and it is sold out or doesn't have ideal reserved seating left, from there if you want to see it now you have to pay full price without the movie benefit at another chain. This can happen especially on opening nights. We always book our tickets online ahead of time and only go to reserved seating theaters without any service currently, reserved seating is a must for a good experience. For instance here in AZ we have AMC, Harkins, Regal and Alamo Drafthouses that have common theaters we go to. I'd prefer a service that they all are a part of, but it is probably just a dream, maybe a few can team up on it at least. I think a third party independent service focuses on the customer more and it seems like it would benefit gaining more customers to theater chains that aren't already locked in customers.

toast0 8y ago

I don't think being tied to a single chain is too big of a deal. Everywhere I've lived there's really been one dominant chain, and usually an alternate chain. Almost always, I go to only one or two theaters, so it wouldn't be a big deal to be stuck to one place. It's different than say, I probably wouldn't want to pay for watch all the Warner Bros movies you want, because I would like to have a variety of studios

bdcravens 8y ago

> In the end a service like MoviePass will be needed, noone wants one just tied to one theater chain I also wish all restaurants were on all the delivery services. I don't think it'll happen, nor do I have an expectation that consolidation is inevitable.

maerF0x0 8y ago

> noone wants one just tied to one theater chain most likely though it will be that way for a while if not indefinitely I'd take a single location to be honest. I'd say > 90% of my movie going in the past 5 yrs has been the same location. For the edge cases I can pay cash.

talltimtom 8y ago

> noone wants one just tied to one theater chain Not being American I have to ask why? Could you elaborate on that need? I see maybe a dozen movies a year, at mostly 3 cinemas all in the same chain. Why a need for multiple chains? Do only some chains show some movies or something?