MoviePass has been on the mat more times than Rocky. But it says it’s back up again and hopes to have a plan to finally get solvent and make its subscription plan something that movie lovers will pay for.
The company has officially opened up the revamped version of its new plan, allowing users to sign up the moment its service is launched for real.
CEO Stacy Spikes hopes that customers will see the remodeled plan as more practical. However, how that sensibility will be achieved is still under wraps.
"Since we're still Beta testing, our waitlist users are testing different pricing plans in various cities. Plans and pricing will normalize when we open to the general public,” the company said on its website.
A “credit-based” system
One might think that a movie theater subscription service doesn’t require a rocket scientist, but little that MoviePass has tried in the past had any real glue. In digging through all the ifs, ands or buts, ConsumerAffairs found that Moviepass’ plan is to now offer a tiered pricing plan built on the back of a credit-based system rather than a one-cost-fits-all approach.
To start with, only standard 2D showings are available according to the MoviePass website – 3D and large screen formats are “coming soon.”
As far as plans go, there are four: Basic (1-3 movies a month for $10), Standard (3-7 movies per month for $20), Premium (5-7 movies/mo. At $30/mo.), and Pro (30 movies/mo. For $40).
Those monthly prices aren’t set in stone, though. The company says that while things are still in the beta phase, it’s testing different pricing plans in various cities. Plans and pricing will normalize when it opens to the general public.
What might take a rocket scientist to figure out is that the number of credits required to see a specific movie depends on factors like how much value the movie has, the city where it’s playing, and the times it’s showing.
As an example, SlashFilm’s credit-crunchers said that the number of credits it costs to see a flick like "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" the weekend it opens will be a night-and-day difference from seeing "80 for Brady" on a weekday afternoon in the Midwest.
“The good news is that unused credits will roll over each month, and can accumulate to double the monthly allotted amount. So, under the Basic plan, you would be allowed to accumulate as many as 68 credits at one time with the rollover,” SlashFilm’s Ryan Scott said. “So, unused credits do not go to waste. On the surface, this seems like a flexible plan with more options to suit different sorts of moviegoers.”
You need to sign up now if you’re interested
Once the waitlist is closed – and that will come either on January 31 or when the waitlist is “full” – the company said that access to the MoviePass app is anticipated to resume in late Spring or early Summer 2023.
All who join the waitlist will receive priority access to the service and 10 friend invites when they subscribe to MoviePass. Space is limited. Once the waitlist is closed the only way to join will be through an invite from a friend.