MoviePass is back. For real this time. Maybe?
The movie subscription service that blazed all too bright and fast back in 2018 and 2019 has risen from the ashes with a new model, new plans, and a theoretically improved lifespan. Starting on May 25, after a lengthy beta period, MoviePass is now open for anyone to subscribe.
In its first iteration, MoviePass offered unlimited movies for just $9.95, a deal that sounded too good to be true. And it kinda was; suffering from profit issues compounded by the pandemic, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2020. This time around, though, there are four plans to choose from, each with a set of limitations. The plans now come with “credits” to redeem, and each individual movie showing is worth a different amount of credits, depending on theater, movie, and timing. A Thursday night premiere of the next Marvel movie, for instance, will probably cost you more than a Tuesday matinee of a movie that’s been in theaters for a couple of months. Up to two months of unused credits will roll over.
The four monthly plans for everywhere in the United States, except for NYC and Southern California, are: Basic costs $10 a month and gives you 34 credits a month (approximately 1-3 movies); Standard costs $20 a month and gives you 72 credits (3-7 movies); Premium costs $30 a month and gives you 113 credits (5-11) movies; and Pro costs $40 and gives you 640 credits — which should be enough to see one movie a day for 30 days.
MoviePass has adjusted pricing for the NYC metro area and Southern California. The plans breakdown as: Basic for $20 and 68 credits a month (1-3 movies); Standard for $30 and 140 credits a month (3-7); Premium for $40 and 200 credits a month (5-11 movies); and Pro for $60 a month and 1200 credits (30 movies).
While the launch touts an “unlimited” plan, clarification from MoviePass suggests it’s just a flashier sell for the Pro plan, which allows a person to watch 30 movies a month. Not quite the old MoviePass creed, but still pretty hefty.