MoviePass reinvents itself again for 2019
MoviePass has had quite a year, but looks to be trying to return to its previous glory with new 2019 plans. Starting in the new year, MoviePass subscribers will have access to all showtimes of all movies for either a monthly rate (pricing based on location) or prepaid 12-month subscription.
Currently, MoviePass lets subscribers see one movie per calendar day, limited to three per month, but with a limited selection of movies. These are usually independent or lesser-known films; major blockbusters don't appear on the app until several weeks after they release, if at all.
The new monthly plan offers three options: Select, All Access, and Red Carpet. They all have the same three-movie cap, but increasing prices indicate increasing access. The Select plan is basically the current plan; limited movie selection for the lowest available price. All Access broadens the movie slate, and Red Carpet includes a premium screening (IMAX/3-D, etc).
Prices also increase depending on location (e.g. subscribers in big cities pay more because movie tickets are more expensive in their area).
The 12-month subscription, available for a limited time only, follows the same model, though you can only purchase it for All Access or Red Carpet and the pricing isn't zoned based on geography.
The plan itself makes sense and is essentially a move back towards MoviePass' old model. Before MoviePass struck its unlimited plan down to $9.95/month in 2017, it offered a $30/month plan with a three-movie limit (at $10/movie, this was still a steal in cities like New York, where adult movie tickets are roughly $15 each).
This was a reliable plan (I write from experience), but MoviePass has been through a lot since then. It's competing with AMC Stubs A-List, which offers major perks at its namesake theater chain, and given AMC's rocky relationship with MoviePass, the company will likely revoke MoviePass' access to its theaters at the first available opportunity.
A yearlong commitment is a lot to ask MoviePass subscribers given the emotional turmoil they've sustained, often week-to-week. The monthly plans are more costly in the long run, but may assuage concerned customers who don't want to commit to a whole year up front. We've been through a lot and just want stability. Could this be it?
Mashable has reached out to MoviePass for further comment.
Proma Khosla is a Senior Entertainment Reporter writing about all things TV, from ranking Bridgerton crushes to composer interviews and leading Mashable's stateside coverage of Bollywood and South Asian representation. You might also catch her hosting video explainers or on Mashable's TikTok and Reels, or tweeting silly thoughts from @promawhatup.
