MoviePass has been a roller coaster ride of business models, pricing, and ownership changes. Originally founded in 2011, it offered unlimited movies for a monthly fee of $50. Over the years, the price varied from $25 to $40 until new leadership took over in 2017 and slashed prices to $9.95 a month. However, this unsustainable offering cost the company every time someone saw a movie, leading to the company hemorrhaging money. By 2018, MoviePass was losing $21 million a month, and it shut down in 2019, filing for bankruptcy in 2020.
Stacy Spikes bought back the defunct company in 2021, and recently, MoviePass has been testing a new beta version in select cities. Now, everyone who signed up to be on the waitlist in 2022 has been invited to join. One significant difference between the original MoviePass and MoviePass 2.0 is the tiered pricing that involves credits to use toward movies.
Subscribers have a choice between paying $10, $20, or $30 a month. For $10, most subscribers get 34 credits a month, for $20, 72 credits, and for $30, 113 credits. In most markets, a matinee uses 10 of those credits, weeknight showings use 15 credits, and evening showings on weekends use 20 credits. Depending on the plan and the showings you choose, your credits can get you as many as 11 movies a month. MoviePass is also testing a plan with 640 credits, enough for a movie every day, for between $40 and $60 a month. Currently, that’s a limited offering and is only in select markets.
Once you sign up, you will be mailed your new MoviePass card, which may take up to 10 days to arrive. Upon activating your card, your first month begins, and you can use it at any theater that accepts credit cards. There’s no contract, and you can cancel at any time.
To use your credits, download the MoviePass app to your phone. It will indicate how many credits you currently have and displays all available showtimes playing near you that day. In most cases, you must go to the theater to purchase your ticket. When you get there, open the MoviePass app, choose your movie, and press “Check In.” Then use your MoviePass card to purchase your ticket.
It’s worth noting that because MoviePass 2.0 is currently in beta, any aspect of the service is subject to change while kinks are worked out. The app has been a significant source of frustration for users, with many reporting issues that have led to one-star reviews. If MoviePass can conquer its technical difficulties, it stands a chance to be a prominent name in the movie industry once again.
If you signed up for MoviePass and are wondering how long it takes to get your card, expect it to take up to 10 days. If you don’t happen to be among those on the beta list right now, MoviePass intends to open it up to the public in the summer of 2023.