Unlimited Ticket Passes - Good Idea?

[Blankments]

This thread comes from the news that AMC Theaters is teaming up with Paramount for passes for unlimited Interstellar rewatches. With the recent popularity of Netflix, do you think something like this is possible on a grand scale; unlimited rewatches for a certain price? MoviePass exists, but they only let you watch a single movie once; no rewatches are allowed.

 

Personally, I think this is a great idea if they offer it on opening weekend. Have it be so you can buy advanced passes for $30, or after watching the movie once on opening weekend, you can spend $20 for a pass. Most people will only watch a movie three times in theaters, and they really should only be sold opening weekend IMO. They've got to make it so it works for every chain though.

 

Why do I think this'd be helpful? Well, it helps all three parties in moviegoing. Studios would get more money on opening weekend, which is what they want for maximum profit. Presumably, you're not gonna rewatch a movie multiple times alone; you're going to bring people with you to rewatch it, and thus, the theater gets money from those tickets plus any concessions you or your friend would get. Finally, the movie watcher who loves the movie will get the joy of watching it as many times in theaters as they'd like, without worries of how they should've paid for another movie with so high pricing nowadays. In addition, if it included what Interstellar does and allowed any format on the pass, that pass is much more valuable than just three watches, and it'd be nice to use in general.

 

Case in point: in August and September this year, I was incredibly tempted to see Guardians of the Galaxy a fourth time, but never did since I had already seen it three times in the first five days it was out. If Marvel/Disney had offered a pass, I would've gladly seen another three or four times, since nothing good was out in September, and I would've gone with a few friends who never got the chance to see it in theaters.

 

tl;dr - studios should really consider adopting this "pass" idea for Interstellar as a new way of selling people on seeing movies in theaters.

[CloneWars]

I think this could work. The price needs to work though. What about seeing movies in IMAX though?

[DeeCee]

I paid AUD33.75 (USD29.39) for 1 IMAX ticket.

[Avatree]

I don't really think there is much of a market for this. Not many people see the same film multiple times in cinemas, let alone multiple times in the same weekend.

[DeeCee]

Don't some theatre chains have membership programs where you can see as many films as you like?

[Avatree]

Don't some theatre chains have membership programs where you can see as many films as you like?

Yes, most do, but those are generally annual programs. The OP is talking about a system where you pay an increased ticket fee, and instead of getting one ticket to a specific movie, you can see that one movie as many times as you want over the weekend.

[Alpha]

Shayhiri must be happy.

[MovieGuyKyle17]

I don't know how to feel, I mean what if I bought the ticket and realized I didn't like it. Now i'm stuck paying an extra 20 bucks for a movie I didn't like

[lilmac]

For Star Wars, heck ya

[SchumacherFTW]

Ya'll should just come to the UK. Having it for specific movies seems redundant to me, but I've had one of these since Avatar came out:

http://www.cineworld.co.uk/unlimited/intro?cookieLevel=1111&locale=GB&secure=false&gbLocale=true&deviceChannelWeb=true&mapApiKey=Aj8bhxskJR1S8CqbKYkL4SpvWzacmzzB2iTfZSwi-HFLHpPN6ISfu8wccbH6Rra4

[Blankments]

I think this could work. The price needs to work though. What about seeing movies in IMAX though?

The Interstellar deal includes IMAX in the deal.

 

I don't really think there is much of a market for this. Not many people see the same film multiple times in cinemas, let alone multiple times in the same weekend.

There's plenty of market for this. One example I could give outside of the film nerd community is say you took your son to see Big Hero 6 the Saturday it came out. He absolutely loved it and immediately wants to see it again and again and again. You buy the pass so that way your kid can be happy and see it as many times as he wants and you can save money on it.

 

Or, you know, the fact that if they sold Avengers 2 passes like this, so many people would buy them because Avengers 1 was so rewatchable with a big crowd

 

I don't know how to feel, I mean what if I bought the ticket and realized I didn't like it. Now i'm stuck paying an extra 20 bucks for a movie I didn't like

That's why you have the option to buy the pass for a cheaper price if you have proof of purchase of a previous ticket.

 

Ya'll should just come to the UK. Having it for specific movies seems redundant to me, but I've had one of these since Avatar came out:

http://www.cineworld.co.uk/unlimited/intro?cookieLevel=1111&locale=GB&secure=false&gbLocale=true&deviceChannelWeb=true&mapApiKey=Aj8bhxskJR1S8CqbKYkL4SpvWzacmzzB2iTfZSwi-HFLHpPN6ISfu8wccbH6Rra4

We have something like this, but it doesn't allow rewatches. :/

[SchumacherFTW]

The temptation now to go and see something multiple times is very high.

[Claire of Themyscira]

I think as long as they realize the market will not be big for this as they may expect or want, and they shouldn't invest or rely on this a lot.

 

This is pretty much for the biggest fans, and that's about it, I think.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Claire Nolan Holt

[Blankments]

I think as long as they realize the market will not be big for this as they may expect or want, and they shouldn't invest or rely on this a lot.

 

This is pretty much for the biggest fans, and that's about it, I think.

I agree, which is exactly why this should be offered

[Dark Jedi Master 007]

As a consumer who loves film, it's awesome. If I was someone who held a position in a film company, I'm not sure I would like this.

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As a consumer who loves film, it's awesome. If I was someone who held a position in a film company, I'm not sure I would like this.

I don't see the issue of spending more money on OW than otherwise. Studios make more money on the intake on OW, which would be artificially inflated by these passes

[Avatree]

There's plenty of market for this. One example I could give outside of the film nerd community is say you took your son to see Big Hero 6 the Saturday it came out. He absolutely loved it and immediately wants to see it again and again and again. You buy the pass so that way your kid can be happy and see it as many times as he wants and you can save money on it.

Okay, let's assume I'm a parent with a child (or multiple children). I have a job, I have hobbies, I have a husband and a family. If I take my kid to see BH6 on a Saturday, there's no way in hell that I, in my busy life, am taking him again and again on that same day/weekend. Now I don't actually have kids but I don't know any parent who would do this.

[James]

I paid AUD33.75 (USD29.39) for 1 IMAX ticket.

LOL. WTF?! One ticket for a 2D IMAX show (like Interstellar; 70mm) is between 6-7$ (depending when you want to watch it: weekend, evening, afternoon; for students and old people is less than 5$). An IMAX 3D show is 8-9$. An ordinary 3D show is around 6-7$ and an ordinary 2D one around is 5$. 

[Avatree]

LOL. WTF?! One ticket for a 2D IMAX show (like Interstellar; 70mm) is between 6-7$ (depending when you want to watch it: weekend, evening, afternoon; for students and old people is less than 5$). An IMAX 3D show is 8-9$. An ordinary 3D show is around 6-7$ and an ordinary 2D one around is 5$. 

I'm in the UK and it's $29 for to see Interstellar in IMAX, dunno how much more a 3D IMAX show would be. Didn't realise it was so cheap in America!

 

Your IMAX 3D is way cheaper than our bog standard 2D cinemas ($13).

[Kvikk Lunsj]

Yes, most do, but those are generally annual programs. The OP is talking about a system where you pay an increased ticket fee, and instead of getting one ticket to a specific movie, you can see that one movie as many times as you want over the weekend.

I don't think chains in America do unlimited pass.