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MoviePass Discussion
- Thread starter CyReN
- Start date
Dr.Pepper or Pibb is a huge deal for me as a movie goer, especially when they offer a zero cal version. Movie cups are large and I don't want to drink 1000cals of soda in a sitting.
The AMC plan, called "A-List", is supposed to debut 6/26 (next tue) according to this AMC employee
https://www.reddit.com/r/MoviePassC..._version_of_mp_is_called_amc_alist_1999_mo_3/
He says it will allow Dolby, IMAX, and 3D; advance ticketing; multiple showings but doesn't say anything about an annual pass. I guess we'll see more details next tuesday.
I definitely am interested if it includes Dolby Cinema, those tickets are $15.49/ea around me so it basically pays for itself after 2 viewings a month. I'd go 2-3 times a week to see movies in IMAX and Dolby.
It'll be super interesting to see what MoviePass does. This is pretty much a shot right at MP by AMC, and means AMC will never play ball with MP. Will MP drop AMC from its theater list? If they do, thats like 35% of theaters in the USA gone which has gotta hurt retention and new subscriber numbers.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MoviePassC..._version_of_mp_is_called_amc_alist_1999_mo_3/
He says it will allow Dolby, IMAX, and 3D; advance ticketing; multiple showings but doesn't say anything about an annual pass. I guess we'll see more details next tuesday.
I definitely am interested if it includes Dolby Cinema, those tickets are $15.49/ea around me so it basically pays for itself after 2 viewings a month. I'd go 2-3 times a week to see movies in IMAX and Dolby.
It'll be super interesting to see what MoviePass does. This is pretty much a shot right at MP by AMC, and means AMC will never play ball with MP. Will MP drop AMC from its theater list? If they do, thats like 35% of theaters in the USA gone which has gotta hurt retention and new subscriber numbers.
They'll probably keep doing what they're doing. Maybe use it to get mutually-beneficial deals with other chains in competitive markets with AMC. MoviePass can sell itself to other chains as a plan they don't need to invest in themselves and don't need to lose money on. They just need to allow MoviePass to help them stay competitive. There's little short-term risk in going with MoviePass on this.
AMC sub I like better due to being able to watch repeats and to use it for all 3 movies same day if I wanted to. Add in advance reservations and I'd be sold.
I guess the drawback is you wouldn't earn stub points for each movie, like you can with moviepass. Just points earned through buying concessions.
I guess the drawback is you wouldn't earn stub points for each movie, like you can with moviepass. Just points earned through buying concessions.
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This AMC service seems way too good to be true.
A single Dolby Cinema ticket costs $23.50 in my area, and I can see twelve of them per month ($282) for only $19? And up to three per day? Surely there has to be some kind of catch to this.
I'll switch from MoviePass in an instant.
A single Dolby Cinema ticket costs $23.50 in my area, and I can see twelve of them per month ($282) for only $19? And up to three per day? Surely there has to be some kind of catch to this.
I'll switch from MoviePass in an instant.
yeah the whole dolby/imax thing makes it feel like its too good to be true, we'll find out next tuesday I guess.
Is the AMC thing gonna allow you to just pay a month, cancel and then start again.
I have no idea how you guys see so many movies. There's not that many decent movies or movies that could appeal to any one person released
I have no idea how you guys see so many movies. There's not that many decent movies or movies that could appeal to any one person released
I mean with Moviepass you have access to indie theatres which release a wide range of films. I don't have a genre preference, I just enjoy good films. If I lived closer to a good indie theatre, I could see myself going 3-4 times a week. If you are interested in documentaries, foreign and domestic films, there's constantly good stuff available.
I genuinely enjoy at least six movies a month. There's a ton of stuff worth seeing for whatever MoviePass averages out to. And basically all types of movies appeal to me. I can see an action flick starring the Rock one day and a low budget indie romance the next and love both. I enjoy the experience of movies more than anything else. I imagine many others in this thread feel the same.
As long as AMC isn't dropped from MoviePass, I'll probably stick with it. I like having the choice of theaters, and it's cheaper. Advance ticketing and premium tickets for AMC is pretty nice, but I'd rather have the wider choice.
Probably from drinking all that Mr. Pibb and not the superior Dr. Pepper.
Why bother developing a relationship with moviepass when they're close to being delisted?
Currently HMNY is $0.31 on Nasdaq
Damn, that's an incredible deal. Seems like the only "catch" is a three month commitment which is absolutely fine by me. Unlike MP/Sinemia, there's no danger of AMC going belly up overnight.
This feels like the final death blow for MoviePass:
- They burned through all their cash on the major blockbusters, are struggling to stay afloat
- Just got confirmation that the largest theater chain in America will never partner with them
- Every other major US theater chain is guaranteed to introduce their own subscription service in order to compete with AMC, meaning those chains will also never partner with MoviePass. And all these competing services will probably have similar perks (online reservations, premium showings, concession upgrades/refills, loyalty points) that MoviePass just cannot match.
I can't imagine MoviePass will be able to get any major investors/funding going forward. Not only is their growth going to slow down significantly, but they'll likely lose a ton of subscribers too. I wonder at what point will they finally throw in the towel.
This feels like the final death blow for MoviePass:
- They burned through all their cash on the major blockbusters, are struggling to stay afloat
- Just got confirmation that the largest theater chain in America will never partner with them
- Every other major US theater chain is guaranteed to introduce their own subscription service in order to compete with AMC, meaning those chains will also never partner with MoviePass. And all these competing services will probably have similar perks (online reservations, premium showings, concession upgrades/refills, loyalty points) that MoviePass just cannot match.
I can't imagine MoviePass will be able to get any major investors/funding going forward. Not only is their growth going to slow down significantly, but they'll likely lose a ton of subscribers too. I wonder at what point will they finally throw in the towel.
Man that stubs ALIST is pretty good... but with moviepass I can go to any chain, and I have lots of chain options around me -- and a lot of films don't play at AMC.
This is a really tough choice. I want to be able to use moviepass on premium stuff like Dolby Cinema but can't. but it gives me the flexibiliy to go to virtually all of the theaters in my area.
neither service is perfect for my needs unfortunately... and neither service really stands out as the overall best, especially with AMC's costing double the price.
I wish moviepass would just offer a higher tier that would let me see Dolby Cinema films at a higher price. But they seem in deep trouble and I'll be really surprised if they further improve the service from what it is now. :/
This is a really tough choice. I want to be able to use moviepass on premium stuff like Dolby Cinema but can't. but it gives me the flexibiliy to go to virtually all of the theaters in my area.
neither service is perfect for my needs unfortunately... and neither service really stands out as the overall best, especially with AMC's costing double the price.
I wish moviepass would just offer a higher tier that would let me see Dolby Cinema films at a higher price. But they seem in deep trouble and I'll be really surprised if they further improve the service from what it is now. :/
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But if it doesn't I'll stick with MP. I see movies at my indie theater semi regularly.
Because a deal with Regal or something will instantly skyrocket that stock into a safe range for the time being. Why would Regal make that deal? Because if AMC's service gains traction, then Regal's going to get screwed. Might as well align with all the other theaters and try to take that out. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, one bird in hand is worth more than two in the bush, etc.
Guaranteed? MoviePass is better for them than trying to compete with AMC. If you try to make your own, AMC's wide spread is automatically going to look more appealing and you're going to be fighting an uphill battle the entire time. If you align with other chains under MoviePass, you can counter that and let MoviePass offer a better deal to consumers, which means those consumers might choose MoviePass (and therefore not lock themselves out of your theaters entirely by signing up with AMC). It's still not ideal, but it's the better of two evils to go with MoviePass. That's why many small chains already have.
There's far more nuance to this than you imply.
I have nothing in town but two Regal theaters. So MP it is for the foreseeable future for me. Hopefully Regal does something like that AMC pass.
19.95 is a bit too much for me, since me and the girl tend to average 1 or 2 films a month (closer to 1). Movie Pass pays for itself, wheras this would only pay if I decided to go see 2 a month. Still a good idea and I can see it being a decent value for some once Movie Pass goes under.
Plus, there's some psychological barrier for paying 40 a month for the possibility of seeing films.
Plus, there's some psychological barrier for paying 40 a month for the possibility of seeing films.
Yeah, same. There aren't enough movies coming out for me to spend that much money. Maybe if they start playing older films in Dolby cinema for the hell of it I'll consider.
Also the convenience factor of going to any theater chain. You just can't beat that. Sorry AMC.
I'm beyond hyped for the AMC deal. I've been making movie pass be worth it month to month, not being able to buy in advance (without shadiness) is a huge disadvantage. Further I want to see at least two movies in dolby per month generally.
The only problem I see with this deal is that once movie pass goes out of business there is zero chance that a-list stays around, at least not without a price hike one year in. I'd probably still be down for a-list even at 30/month. That's what I used to pay for movie pass now that I think about it. Amazing.
BTW site is up now:
https://www.amctheatres.com/amcstubs/alist
The only problem I see with this deal is that once movie pass goes out of business there is zero chance that a-list stays around, at least not without a price hike one year in. I'd probably still be down for a-list even at 30/month. That's what I used to pay for movie pass now that I think about it. Amazing.
BTW site is up now:
https://www.amctheatres.com/amcstubs/alist
None of this is really true. First Regal is owned by a company in the UK that already has a sub service over there, they pay ~$25/mo and get unlimited Cineworld access in the UK similar to the new AMC deal.
Second, "partnering" with MoviePass is basically giving up money to MoviePass. The current e-ticket partners give MP a 20-30% discount on tickets that they have to eat, not hollywood studios. Why would Regal ever give up 20% of its money? Its infinitely easier to create your own service, especially if you already have all the underlying technical infrastructure. Not to mention the fact that it would be e-Tickets and not this ridiculously silly debit card system MoviePass uses, that you keep 100% of everything, that you control whether customers get loyalty points and where, and the fact that now customers are much more loyal / captured by your chain rather than free to go anywhere.
There are only three big chains in the USA: AMC at 37%, Regal at 33%, and Cinemark at ~20%. Those three control 90% of the screens. AMC now has their own movie pass sub service, Cinemark has had a (lame) one for a while ($10/mo for 1 movie/mo, carry over unused) and Regal is the only odd man out. AMC's A-List program btw was supposed to debut in Q4 2017 but they delayed it when MoviePass came out. Regal got purchased by Cineworld in Feb 2018 so thats why they have been quiet about making moves, but its only a matter of months if not weeks before they put out their own. Really the only one that should be slightly worried is Cinemark.
HMNY (parent company of MoviePass) announced some ludicrous things today morning: they are going to ask shareholders to approve a 2:1 to 250:1 reverse split in the July shareholders meeting and they are going to request shareholders approve increasing the issuable stock amount from 500m to 2b as well. The company is done, who knows when exactly they will shut down and how crazy the ride will get until then but there is pretty much zero chance MP is still around by the end of the year. Stock is down 26% in trading so far today, which is sorta meaningless on a company worth a grand total of $27.5m. Literally more people spend money on a movie friday night than moviepass is worth.
There is actually a 3 month commitment. If you even only see two movies a month it is still worth it if you enjoy going to the movies. Anything after that is gravy.
I would jump on the AMC deal in a heartbeat if I had any decent theaters around here. I love moviepass, but I don't know how long it will last and the restrictions really suck sometimes.
I'm not arguing that Regal couldn't do it, and what its parent/sister company does in an entirely separate market is totally irrelevant other than as a very general example of what could be done.
It's probably giving some money to MoviePass, but definitely not 20%. Regal isn't bound by the same terms as some other company got. They can negotiate for better rates and obviously would. Especially since this new AMC plan directly hurts MoviePass even more than it hurts Regal. Working together is mutually beneficial, so they might come to an agreement that benefits both rather than one side strong-arming the other.
Yes, they can make their own subscription and maybe they will. But all that will do is solidify their current markets while annihilating their chances at further expansion. It's short term gain at the expense of a long term solution that allows continued expansion. With MoviePass, you can out-maneuver AMC and offer more even in markets where AMC is the major player while still keeping your stranglehold on your current markets safe from AMC (if not Cinemark).
Don't make assumptions. It's definitely possible. I would never bet on this either way. All I'm trying to say is that the idea that Regal will always come out better doing their own thing is definitely not correct.
FAQ's and stuff about A-List
https://www.amctheatres.com/amcstubs/alist
3 month committment, once you cancel you can't resub for 6 months. You get AMC points for your monthly sub fee ($19.99 or 2000 points basically) but you do NOT get points for tickets you buy thru A-List, as expected. No restrictions on advance reservations or anything other than no more than 3 at a time. They will check ID at checkin time so you can only buy tix for yourself. Only works on amc app/website, does not work on fandango/atom/etc. Does not work on fathom events, double features, marathons, etc.
They mention something about if you have existing dolby/imax tickets you can "convert" it to A-List after you signup. I have paid tickets for Ant-Man, wonder what they will do for it.
Signups will open June 26th online, I'll definitely be signing up and seeing Jurassic World in Dolby Laser the same day, Soldado that weekend, Ant Man 2 next week, and Mission Impossible 6 (5?) the end of the month. Thats already fantastic. And no fucking ticket stubs, having to "check in", be able to reserve seats weeks in advance. Sooooo good.
https://www.amctheatres.com/amcstubs/alist
3 month committment, once you cancel you can't resub for 6 months. You get AMC points for your monthly sub fee ($19.99 or 2000 points basically) but you do NOT get points for tickets you buy thru A-List, as expected. No restrictions on advance reservations or anything other than no more than 3 at a time. They will check ID at checkin time so you can only buy tix for yourself. Only works on amc app/website, does not work on fandango/atom/etc. Does not work on fathom events, double features, marathons, etc.
They mention something about if you have existing dolby/imax tickets you can "convert" it to A-List after you signup. I have paid tickets for Ant-Man, wonder what they will do for it.
Signups will open June 26th online, I'll definitely be signing up and seeing Jurassic World in Dolby Laser the same day, Soldado that weekend, Ant Man 2 next week, and Mission Impossible 6 (5?) the end of the month. Thats already fantastic. And no fucking ticket stubs, having to "check in", be able to reserve seats weeks in advance. Sooooo good.
Fathom events kind of sucks.. was hoping those would be included.
Regal could very easily launch their own service though.
MoviePass offers no real benefits that major chains can't easily replicate. The MoviePass service is not user-friendly, they have terrible customer service, a constantly changing TOS and new restrictions, there's the constant fear of them going under. Partnering with them is a nightmare waiting to happen. And more importantly, partnering with MoviePass would mean giving up a significant percentage of money and placing the future of your company in the hands of a middleman.
It only makes sense for the very small chains that cannot afford to launch their own subscription programs like this.
The sole benefit that MoviePass offers -- being able to use their card at any theater chain -- is the exact opposite of what theaters want. They want to lock you into their specific chain of theaters, that's the purpose of their loyalty/rewards systems.
Are we sure it doesn't work on events? I read it as it doesn't work on events that are priced higher then a normal ticket.
IMAX VR ® and special events such as, but not limited to, fan events, private screenings, movie marathon/double features, Metropolitan Opera, broadcasts of sporting events and other showtimes and events that are priced above standard ticket price admissions (including select showtimes of certain foreign language films) are not eligible and are excluded from the A-List Program.
Edit: Rereading it I'm wrong. I think I just really wanted it to work.
IMAX VR ® and special events such as, but not limited to, fan events, private screenings, movie marathon/double features, Metropolitan Opera, broadcasts of sporting events and other showtimes and events that are priced above standard ticket price admissions (including select showtimes of certain foreign language films) are not eligible and are excluded from the A-List Program.
Edit: Rereading it I'm wrong. I think I just really wanted it to work.
Regal could offer their own service and it would be better than MoviePass. Obviously. That doesn't mean it's a good idea. Let's imagine your future real quick. AMC, Regal, Cinemark and Alamo Drafthouse all have their own subscription services. All other theaters have been run out of business. AMC, Regal and Cinemark have their own cities basically with a few theaters in other cities like they do now. Now let's say Regal wants to expand and get a theater in a city that AMC dominates the market in. Who will go to this theater? All the even remotely consistent movie-goers have an AMC pass in that city obviously, so they can't go to the Regal. How does Regal's new theater ever gain traction? It doesn't. That's the problem. If everyone has a subscription plan, the end result is that theater chains create bubbles where they have the market and they can never expand.
What MoviePass offers a theater chain is that it will have subscribers in every market. So when you want to expand to a new market, you won't be a fish out of water. You'll instead have a userbase already there, ready to purchase tickets if they like what you're offering. That's what we have now. Theaters like this setup obviously, or they would have made subscription programs a long time ago. Subscriptions are the nuclear option because they stifle growth in the long term when everyone does it. Loyalty cards are not comparable as the benefits are not nearly enough to cause someone to not go to another theater (they just make you slightly more likely to go to one you like if possible).
The benefit of MoviePass, using it at any chain, is actually not the opposite of what theaters want. They want everyone to go to only their theaters, yes, but a subscription program only gets your subscribers to do that. It doesn't catch new people in new markets.
As for "giving up a significant percentage of money", that's a ridiculous idea. Small chains might have to, but you can bet for sure Regal's not going to play ball with that and MoviePass is hardly in a spot to negotiate. Regal can get themselves a great deal. Hell, MoviePass might even accept e-ticketing with no strings attached. That would be a major boon for them and it would help Regal quite a lot as well. They'd get all the benefits of a subscription plan without having to foot the bill on it. Obviously making a deal with MoviePass is making a deal with the Devil, but that could be a good idea here depending on the terms. You cannot assume what those will be.
As for "placing the future of your company in the hands of a middleman," no. Regal can make their own subscription at any time right now. If MoviePass starts falling apart, they'd not be in a deal they couldn't back out of and make their own subscription to replace it before their customers set sail to AMC.
You are vastly underestimating the power Regal has right here.
Ugh fucking AMC. I'm in the pflugerville/round rock area of Austin and try to avoid AMC at all costs. The cinemarks near me were both remodeled within the last year and are amazing.
In the event moviepass shuts down I don't know if I'd switch to AMC.
In the event moviepass shuts down I don't know if I'd switch to AMC.
The AMC in Lakeline Mall was recently remodeled. It's ok, not great. Does serve food if you like that kind of thing.
You're going to sub to both? How many movies can you possibly see? :)
:-D I signed up for Moviepass at the end of August last year, and have seen 72 movies on it since then...
I figured I'd use A-List for premium stuff at the AMC, and Moviepass for 2D screenings at a theater that's a little closer to home. I'll get my money's worth.
I do agree these points you raised will ultimately be an issue going forward. I don't think it's an immediate problem just yet, and I don't think they'll need MoviePass to be their savior, but that's something they'll have to figure out in the years to come.
Could Regal negotiate a much better deal than the 20-30% the other chains are paying right now? Probably. But that doesn't exactly help MoviePass stay afloat, and at that point Regal would basically be sending users to the service that they are helping to kill.
I see two possible scenarios:
1. Regal negotiates a great deal that is one-sided in their favor. MoviePass signs it out of desperation but is soon forced to cease operations after investors realize they've essentially been shut out from any earnings at 70% of the US market (AMC and Regal) and that MoviePass has no path to profitability. With MoviePass gone and lots of angry customers, Regal is forced to start their own service, but now AMC and others have a huge head start on them.
or
2. Regal plays ball, helps MoviePass become more popular, and in turn MoviePass uses that popularity against Regal by demanding a much higher cut and percentage of concession sales etc during their next round of contract negotiations. Regal is either forced to accept MP's aggressive terms or start their own service. Like above, if they decide to start their own subscription service at this point they'll have to start from nothing and their competition will have a huge head start.
Neither scenario is good for Regal - both end up with them having to ultimately start their own service. It makes more sense for them to avoid MoviePass altogether and rush to start their own service while this subscription market is still in the early stages. That way at least they control their own destiny rather than being reliant on others. Regal has enough power and leverage (a third of the US screens) that they can negotiate deals directly with movie studios to make a service like this sustainable.
Yeah I can see myself signing up for it during Holiday/Oscar Season and Summer season twice a year. 120 a year is just as much as movie pass.
And I'll be living in LA so seeing 4 movies over the cycle pays for itself.
I'm still gonna ride movie pass till the end though.