This was supposed to be the weekend in which we found out just how successful MoviePass was going to be. San Francisco was the proving ground, and we were all ears. After all, how could be possibly pass up the opportunity to get as much 3D action as possible? However, as everything was ready to go, one important detail got missed: you have to let the theatres know first! You’ve gotta be kidding me…
Twenty-one theatres were slated to be a part of the MoviePass beta test, and the group that included AMC, Landmark, and Big Cinemas weren’t too thrilled about the ongoing discussions without their involvement. This is a curious twist to the MoviePass saga, and while I can understand how that could be a bit irritating if you’re a “theatre big-boy” like AMC, there’s another interesting twist: the theatres would be getting paid full admission for everyone using the service. So, ultimately, they wouldn’t lose any money at all.
Apparently, there were some toes stepped on as all of the program details were worked out with MovieTickets.com and the chains weren’t consulted. Well, this will likely set MoviePass back quite a bit. That sucks, to be honest, because we were definitely excited about the prospects that such a service could offer. And, while I’m sure the concept will gain traction again, you know that the same groups that charge you $10-$15 to get into a movie aren’t going to let their racket go lightly. Ironic, considering that most theatres are 80% empty at any given time anyway…
Image credit: wired.com
