Movie theater subscription service MoviePass announced Wednesday that they have surpassed the one million paid membership mark. Ironically, I purchased mine yesterday morning. Was I the 1,000,000th customer? Sorry, but there was no fanfare when I hit “submit.”
MoviePass is a paid subscription service that allows users to purchase a single movie ticket per day for a flat fee paid monthly. The service used a mobile app in conjunction with a MasterCard prepaid debit card to purchase the tickets from a box office or kiosk. The fee is $9.95 per month, and there are currently over 4,000 theaters that accept MoviePass. There are no blackout days, but the service is limited to only 2D regular showings. IMAX and 3D screenings are not offered with the service.
The service originated in 2011, but it was based on a voucher system with a limited number of theaters. Customers found this cumbersome. So, MoviePass was revamped the next year to include the app and card system being used today. However, it was expensive, and participation was low.
In 2016, MoviePass hired former Netflix and Redbox executive Mike Lowe as their new CEO. He tinkered with the subscription options, but, still, prices were high, and membership wasn’t.
In August 2017, MoviePass announced the current service at $9.95 per month, and membership skyrocketed. By September, membership stood at 400,000, and by October, they hit 600,000 paid subscribers. They announced on Wednesday morning they have surpassed number 1,000,000.
According to Deadline, they have reached this feat far faster than other subscription services, including Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify. “We are excited and proud to have reached the one millionth subscriber level in such a short time while still early in the consumer adoption curve,” Lowe said in a statement. “Our focus on creating the best movie theater subscription service experience for our subscribers has propelled our growth to date. We believe that growth will continue as we further develop our application, improve customer service, enhance exhibitor relations and fill movie theater seats for incredible films to be released in the future.”
Do you subscribe to MoviePass? How has your experience with been?
