BrewCrew

If MP becomes the norm like Netflix I do wonder if theaters will then start to see a decrease in revenue for these blockbusters because they are the ones that MP will not pay for, at least initially if they are in the IMAX/3D type theaters. I don't know if the theaters can make up that lost blockbuster revenue with more people seeing movies like Happy Death Day and Thank You for Your Service.

Obi-Wanma

I have no problem seeing all the latest blockbusters on 2D screens with MoviePass. And I'm not really interested in 3D/IMAX except in exceptional cases.

TomOpus

I would see a movie in 3D or IMAX very rarely, so they don't lose much with me.

tanman

I bet they'll have an addition where you can upgrade. Either per movie or per month. I don't see why they don't do it honestly. Seems like lost revenue stream for them.

I personally prefer IMAX/3D and don't mind paying for the upgrade to see big blockbusters in the theater's biggest screens. However, I don't see a lot of people caring if they are on a subscription service. I think in general nowadays people care more about value than quality.

BrewCrew

I have no idea where they got their numbers from but I was reading on a site called Austin360 that Blade Runner was the #1 MP movie of the year thus far and the top 10 was filled with lesser movies. Now I imagine it has probably changed since Thor came out but it is interesting to me how the top overall money making movies don't necessarily match moviegoers who have MP.

dex14

That list was specific to Austin.

And the money makers generally require you to purchase tickets well in advance.

From the 11/8 IndieWire article I posted earlier in the thread: "For example, last weekend MoviePass represented 1 percent of ticket sales to “Thor: Ragnorok,” but accounted for 8 percent of ticket sales for “Lady Bird” overall, and 16 percent of ticket sales in theaters where customers could use MoviePass."

Cardsfan111

And now MP is offering an $89.95 annual plan. Details found here.

I'm usually all for saving money, but I'm hesitant to try this. The big question is what if things fall apart for MP a few months from now. Think I might just stick with $10/month. Still saving a bunch and enjoying it a ton.

Wolf359

Just came to post this. I went ahead and did it, I'm definitely getting my money's worth and if it actually helps them stick around then even better. I'll see $89 worth of movies in 3 months.

Trevor

Tempting. Save $30, but could lose $90 if they go under tomorrow. Still don't know how they are going to stay in business at this price. While five movies could cost me almost $90 without MoviePass, so I could "make a profit" in six days, I think I'll stick to month to month for now.

dvdjunkie32

Prepaying for an entire year is tempting but a little unnerving. If Moviepass went out of business before the 12 months, could I do a credit card chargeback and get a partial refund?

dex14

I’m fine paying month to month at the current price point. They can have my extra $30 if it helps keep them in business at this current model.

JimRochester

If you are seeing movies at a pretty good clip, I doubt you would lose money. Even with a matinee a couple times a month 7 months would do it.

DthRdrX

I do wonder if this is a way of making quick revenue. Has anyone joined recently? I was wondering what the turnaround is on the card?

Perkinsun Dzees

Sounds like the makings of a Ponzi scheme. What's next, a lifetime pass for $500?

I'll stick with my month-to-month membership.

Wolf359

LOL some skeptical people here. Nighttime movies in my area are minimum $9, most are $12. Even if they folded in 3 months I won't lose money. I thought it was a way of supporting them, not thinking for a second it was a risk.

bluetoast

Month to month is still great, but you guys balking at this concept realize MoviePass locked people into one year contracts in the first few years of the service, at 30-40 a month, right? There was still a risk of them going under, changing the terms, or kicking people out and then making them pay the full fee. Paying 90 up front is pretty damn generous and safe compared to that.

story

I did. Was told 5-7 business days and got an email one day too early, arrived on day 7.

fujishig

I mean what possible reason would they have to offer this unless they needed money badly and/or are about to change their TOS and are going to lose a bunch of subscribers (and I'm sure they have the right to change the terms of the service for those who prepaid). You can't tell me that people who balked at paying 10 bucks a month are convinced by a 90 dollar option.

If they're fine money wise you're actually supporting them more by giving them extra money month to month...

Edited to add: at first I thought this was some offer for existing subscribers, but all new subscribers have to pay up front, I don't even see an option to go on the old plan. Yeah that doesn't seem good.

dex14

Per the FAQ it is a limited time offer. Once the offer is over, the monthly plan will return.

fujishig

At first they did list the monthly plan at the very bottom of the page, then they hid the link, then they made the link not work at all.

It's actually pretty smart. Get lots of people to sign up for a year. Do it right before Christmas and offer "for a limited time only" the ability to gift subscriptions. Turn off the month to month option. Advertise 6.95 a month but really charge what you want by adding a "fee." Do it all right before the biggest move of the year comes out and drains all of your existing cashflow.

I have no idea if they'll be around in a year, but if you believe they'll make it past 9 months without changing TOS again, it's a decent deal (if you don't calculate stuff like what you could've invested the money in, which is likely minimal gain anyway). The TOS thing seems very likely, though (if they stay in business), and I'm not sure exactly how that would work legally; they spell out that they can change terms as they like, but I'm fairly sure that's been successfully used in the past to break contracts. But they did add fairly recently the clause that says they can charge extra if you break their TOS or if you see too many movies.

Orbi-Wan Techno

Just got the 89.99 offer in my email. I am giving it a shot. Without Moviepass, I would definitely be spending more that $90 in a year to see movies.

tonyc3742

It wasn't too long ago I was paying 40/month. I'm in for 89/year. 6.50 "processing fee" is a little silly but not too bad. And my first 12 months were locked in as well, at 30/month.
Of course, in the last few month's I've seen fewer and fewer movies...still, I'm "saving" money.
I'm sure part of it is to be able to say to their investors "we have X0,000 people who are locked in for a year, who either will forget and not go to movies much because they've "already paid", or will, and will generate a lot of data for you."
Or, yes, they change the TOS drastically in the next few months - or go under.

fujishig

Someone mentioned elsewhere that they're planning for an IPO around March of next year. So on the bright side, they should be around at least until then, but this does seem like a way to drum up sub numbers to make the IPO more attractive (though are investors really that dumb to just look at growth and not how they're attaining that growth and whether there's a path to profitability?). But what do we care as long as we can go to cheap movies?

bunkaroo

So there is no way to signup for $10 a month now? Just $90 a year or nothing? That's too bad I was about to give it a shot but no way I'm throwing down $90 on something that could be gone well before a year is up.

I maybe went to 5 or 6 movies in the past 12 months and that includes seeing Rogue One twice. So for me it's not money I would have spent anyway.

dex14

When this limited deal is over, the month to month plan will return.