MoviePass reveals pricing plans and details for returns
The once-popular MoviePass has officially opened beta for its much-anticipated revival. Originally unveiled last year, the new business model promises to be more sustainable while still offering moviegoers all the films they could want, along with new features to enhance the experience of the original. Beta testing was introduced on Labor Day last year, but now all fans who previously signed up can get a glimpse of the future of the service and try out the new system put in place under CEO Stacy Spikes.
With the opening of the beta, MoviePass also revealed the pricing plans for the revamped service, as well as more details on how everything works. The original system was a godsend for users as it allowed unlimited movie viewing at a shockingly low price per month. That wasn’t sustainable at all, so the new system will be far more realistic, with a tiered pricing system and a cap on how many films can be viewed based on the schedule.
There are currently four plans available to all users upon launching the app – Basic, Standard, Premium and Pro. Keep in mind that prices may still fluctuate over the course of beta testing, but these are currently fixed at $10, $20, $30 and $40 respectively. The difference in each plan relates to the new credit system that MoviePass revolves around and the number of movies a user can watch. Basic subscribers get 34 credits per month and are allowed one to three movies, while Pro subscribers get 113 credits and can see up to one movie per day. Users pay credits to watch specific films, but costs can vary based on a number of factors, including theater, location, time, day, and the film itself. For example, a Marvel film will always cost more credits than a smaller indie film. This model leaves room for savvy viewers who are not so keen on seeing a film at its premiere to wait until a quieter date and time to see the film at a cheaper price. Remaining credits are also carried over to the next month, but must not exceed twice the subscription amount.
Spikes previously explained that the new credits system will fix an issue that plagued the original MoviePass. It allows subscribers to pay for any guests that come with them, making things a lot easier in that regard. Also previously mentioned was an advertising system that allows subscribers to earn extra credits as long as they can keep their eyes on the screen while ads are playing.
How to use the new MoviePass?
In terms of actually using the plan, there’s already one major downside — MoviePass subscribers can’t prepay for movies. That will likely be a problem for anyone hoping to use the system for big premieres. Instead, users must use either a digital or physical card, which some theaters may require in order to purchase tickets on-site. Once subscribers arrive at the theater of their choice, they need to open their MoviePass app, select the theater, movie, and show time, and click Check-In. After that, they can go to a kiosk and follow some additional steps to get their tickets.
All of this is subject to change as more people sign up and respond to the new MoviePass system. “As we are still conducting BETA testing, our waitlist users are testing different pricing plans in different cities,” the company’s official website reads. “Plans and pricing will normalize as we open up to the general public.” It’s still possible to sign up for the next beta test on the site. Overall, the future of MoviePass seems a lot brighter than it was before Spikes took back the reins, but it remains to be seen how the service will hold up with more competitors like AMC and Regal that have launched their own services.
There is no set date for the full return of MoviePass. In the meantime, if you’re interested in checking out the service again when it restarts, check out the company’s hands-on video below, which explains how to watch a movie using the revamped system. There’s also an announcement video from Spikes, which can also be seen below.
