How much do you pay to watch a movie?

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

I just read an article about how movie theater chains are starting to use "surge pricing" - charging additional fees for more popular movies. Evidently they are going to be doing that for "The Batman" for the first 8 days, for example.

At AMC Burbank, a regular ticket for Batman cost $18.49, compared to $16.99 for all other movies. The price for the film was more at the two AMC New York multiplexes, or $18.99. And it was even higher at AMC Century City, or $19.99, compared to $18.49 for Uncharted.

It costs us $5 here to watch any new movie, any time of day. (Mom & Pop theater) I was just curious what the prices were around other parts of the USA.

 

[dullard]

$1 used DVDs are easy to find. So, I pay $1 total to watch a movie for my wife and myself an unlimited number of times. Oh and all of our friends/family can watch it too for no extra charge.

Edit: technically, since I put it on my computer and any phone or tablet I want it uses about $0.25 of hard drive space too.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Was pre covid the last time I've been but on the site it says $14 for a ticket. Popcorn and pop usually comes up to like $12 if I recall.

Now I'm not sure if they still serve food or not, since you need to wear a mask. Honestly I don't even see the point of going now, may as well just watch a movie in the comfort of your own home with your own snacks.

 

[Torn Mind]

(I actually don't pirate)

 

[lxskllr]

I'd rather eat glass than go sit in a theater and watch a movie, so $0.00.

 

[MrSquished]

Such is what happens when the only thing that matters is profits.

Won't affect me. Rarely go to theaters but it's nice sometimes, but the only movie in the last decade I've even cared about seeing right when it came out in a theater was Dune. I mean if I was interested in a movie and it was a few bucks more that night I happened to be free to go with someone, I mean I'd do it. No biggie.

I think most people will just go anyway, it's the whole gotta be first thing and hype that works on folks. But maybe there is a breaking point and enough people will be like fuck this noise. I doubt it.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I don't watch movies.

 

[allisolm]

I just read an article about how movie theater chains are starting to use "surge pricing" - charging additional fees for more popular movies. Evidently they are going to be doing that for "The Batman" for the first 8 days, for example.

At AMC Burbank, a regular ticket for Batman cost $18.49, compared to $16.99 for all other movies. The price for the film was more at the two AMC New York multiplexes, or $18.99. And it was even higher at AMC Century City, or $19.99, compared to $18.49 for Uncharted.

It costs us $5 here to watch any new movie, any time of day. (Mom & Pop theater) I was just curious what the prices were around other parts of the USA.

Husband and I love going to the movies and missed it when the shutdowns were in effect. We are back into going now and do so about once a week. Our local theater is a 14 screener about 2 miles away and Tuesdays are $5 all day. Went today and saw The Batman for $5 ea 5 days after release. Weekday showings are generally $5 before 5PM except for blockbusters like Batman. Those are $6.99 and $8.98 after 5. Pricing has always been like that at this theater. No surge pricing now that wasn't there precovid. Fortunately there are still not a lot of folks going. There were 11 of us total at the Batman showing this afternoon and that theater seats 160. I'm good with that. This is in Tallahassee.

 

[Saylick]

My local theater has discount pricing on Sundays, even for new releases. For regular "2D" (i.e. not IMAX or 3D), tickets are ~$7 after tax. Not bad for a no-frills movie experience in my opinion.

 

[snoopy7548]

I don't go to regular theaters; the last time I was in one was at an Alamo Drafthouse 4 years ago and it was a great experience.

I might go to the IMAX once a year (if there's something I really want to see), but I haven't been since COVID hit. The last time I went tickets were ~$15. Late-night showings are always decent there.

 

[deadlyapp]

I haven't been to a theater in probably 10 years. It's not that I don't enjoy seeing a movie in that environment, but more so the amount of nickel and diming they did for the convenience food which really made it too expensive to really justify. I used to sneak snacks in but the last movie I saw I actually almost got kicked out and they made me throw away what I had. Just ridiculous. The only movies I would even think about going to see now are outdoor ones that are BYOB and an actual experience (I went to a few movies in the Hollywood Cemetery when I lived in LA and that was a blast).

 

[Captante]

Far as I can recall the last movie I saw in the theater was Avengers Endgame and the only justification to pay for the "big screen" experience IMO is extreme special effects/audio. (anything else works just fine on my TV or monitor)

So for 95% of all movies I wouldn't spend one thin dime to go to a theater.

(Frankly I hate movie theaters because of the people and Covid only served to emphasize this fact.... sorry but I don't want to be anywhere near anyone!)

 

[K1052]

$15 all in for a prime evening Weeknd show at Alamo.

 

[Captante]

I used to sneak snacks in but the last movie I saw I actually almost got kicked out and they made me throw away what I had. Just ridiculous.

I would have made a huge scene and demanded a refund.... also would have been VERY tempted to force-feed them any "snacks" I brought to their over-priced $hithole packaging and all before I left.

Having said that, I nearly always bring snacks from home to movies and nobody has ever even looked at me sideways.

Was this a national chain?

 

[K1052]

I would have made a huge scene and demanded a refund.... also would have been VERY tempted to force-feed them any "snacks" I brought to their over-priced $hithole packaging and all before I left.

Having said that, I nearly always bring snacks from home to movies and nobody has ever even looked at me sideways.

Was this a national chain?

They know people bring stuff in but basically just don't be obvious about it. Like don't turn up with 3 bags of McDonalds.

People yelling at some poor early 20s manager getting paid dick to enforce the rules doesn't deserve it.

 

[Brainonska511]

Last move I went to - Dune - was probably $12/ticket for a matinee showing at an AMC. Regular tickets, if I recall are ~$15-18.

But I also paid the $5 (when it was on sale) for the AMC Stubs program, so I get $5 back for every $50 spent and waived online ticket purchasing fees.

 

[Captante]

At AMC Burbank, a regular ticket for Batman cost $18.49, compared to $16.99 for all other movies. The price for the film was more at the two AMC New York multiplexes, or $18.99. And it was even higher at AMC Century City, or $19.99, compared to $18.49 for Uncharted.

And movie theaters can't figure out why overall the industry is dying.

Most movie-theaters completely suck for the price charged and a large percentage of the folks you encounter while there are straight up trailer-trash.

 

[Captante]

They know people bring stuff in but basically just don't be obvious about it. Like don't turn up with 3 bags of McDonalds.

People yelling at some poor early 20s manager getting paid dick to enforce the rules doesn't deserve it.

I wasn't referring to the kind of tard that brings "bags of McDonalds" into a movie theater which quite frankly is something I've never seen the likes of even once. If you are inconsiderate and dumb enough to bring a big bag of fast food into a theater you deserve to be kicked out.



And if some douchebag "manager" in a movie theater bothers me for eating a granola bar from home after I just dropped $20 per person simply to be there I have very little in the way of sympathy. (although I never actually "yell" at anyone regardless of age)

Again its NOT surprising the entire industry is swirling in the bowl.

 

[deadlyapp]

They know people bring stuff in but basically just don't be obvious about it. Like don't turn up with 3 bags of McDonalds.

People yelling at some poor early 20s manager getting paid dick to enforce the rules doesn't deserve it.

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I didn't make a scene, I just was like "really man, sure whatever we'll just put it away, we're not tossing it though". I believe it was an Alamo - we brought our own snacks and bought alcohol from them, so it's not like they weren't already making a tidy profit off of us. I can't remember what it might have been, maybe a small zip loc bag of popcorn and some gummy snacks.

But yeah, people who abuse it and bring an entire picnic deserve to get shit on.

 

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

The movie theaters have to give about half of the money for the movie ticket to the studios making the movies. They don't have enough money left to pay property taxes, electricity, etc.

However, they don't have to share revenue from selling drinks and snacks. That is where they actually make their money.

 

[Captante]

The movie theaters have to give about half of the money for the movie ticket to the studios making the movies. They don't have enough money left to pay property taxes, electricity, etc.

However, they don't have to share revenue from selling drinks and snacks. That is where they actually make their money.

Sucks to be them? Not my problem sorry.

Improve the experience OR lower the price and MAYBE the industry survives.... as-is I suspect it goes away almost completely before too long.

 

[nakedfrog]

A lot of people still seem to love the in-theater experience, I don't think they're going away any time soon.

 

[Captante]

A lot of people still seem to love the in-theater experience, I don't think they're going away any time soon.

In the last 10 years I've seen at least 20 movie theaters closed/torn down and exactly zero new ones open up.

I believe that a few high-tech movie theaters will survive but that's about it.

 

[nakedfrog]

In the last 10 years I've seen at least 20 movie theaters closed/torn down and exactly zero new ones open up.

I believe that a few high-tech movie theaters will survive but that's about it.

Spider-Man: No Way Home has made $1.8 billion at the box office...

 

[Torn Mind]

I think it's the drive-in that got a revival thanks to covid.

'It's quite magical': The revival of drive-in movies amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Brian Allen loves sitting in his car, windows rolled down, listening to the murmur of excited chatter, as the warm glow of the sun fades and the cinema screen brightens. The flashing neon signs all around, the smell of popcorn wafting through the windows, tires crunching on the gravel as cars...

toronto.ctvnews.ca

The revival of drive-in movies

Pre-quarantine, one of the greatest joys was going to the movie theater with your friends and family. However, during the pandemic, people are deprived of the enjoyment that comes from viewing a movie in the theaters. Drive-in movies provide the opportunity for people to get out of the house and...

highschool.latimes.com

How the American Drive-In Staged a Comeback

Designed for the suburbs of 1950s America, the drive-in theater found a new role in the summer of 2020, as a Covid-safe site for collective entertainment.

www.bloomberg.com