MoviePass movie subscription services is back: cost, plans, options

Moviegoers rejoice: MoviePass is back for yet another showing. The company just announced its new points-based system, which will allow users to earn points for every film they see, along with a tiered approach, letting them choose from several plans. 

The subscription service will be available to use at over 4,000 theaters across the county, including those run by AMC, Regal, Cinemark, and more. Here’s how the plans break down:  

• Basic: The most budget-friendly option is the Basic plan at just $10 a month. The low-cost plan allows participants to watch up to three movies a month.
• Standard: This plan costs $20 and will get you three to seven monthly flicks.
• Premium: This option goes for $30 per month and gets you five to eleven films.
• Pro: The most expensive option, the $40-a-month Pro plan, allows for up to 30 showings.

In Southern California and the New York metro area, more expensive subscriptions are offered.

The company originally launched in 2011, but after lowering prices in 2017 went bankrupt two years later. Stacy Spikes, one of the original cofounders of MoviePass who was fired for speaking out about the model prior to its collapse, decided to encore the company with a new (hopefully improved) design. In February of last year, the company began letting users join a waitlist while awaiting its relaunch.

In addition to having multiple price points to meet the entertainment appetite of just about every kind of moviegoer, the credits-based system is also unique to MoviePass. The various tiers offer different numbers of credits for redemption each month. But the points are based on more than just how many films you view. It also takes into account such factors as which movies and even showtimes.

All in all, MoviePass seems like a smart move for anyone who prefers the big screen, even just once a month, as it’s more affordable than other movie-subscription plans. It has the bandwidth to quench just about any level of film-buff hunger.

But it won’t help with actual hunger: There are no discounts on popcorn, so you’ll still have to pay for your treats. But with a $10-a-month option, it’s pretty hard to be salty.