• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Movie Ticket Prices

T

toekramp

Diamond Member
While I don't understand why movie ticket prices continue to rise at a quartley basis...I'm even more baffeled by the fact there is only one price that applies to all the films. Certain movies realize that they are going to be more popular than others and can charge more in order to make a higher profit. In the same regards films such as Dumb and Dumberer (yes i enjoyed it...but it's not worth 9 bucks) should be charged accordingly. If this movie was released with a cost of 5 dollars a ticket I believe a much larger amount of people would attend. The cost of the ticket could fluctuate depending on popularity...if the movie wasn't intended to be a blockbuster (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) but does suprisingly well, the price could be raised. Thus, the people that originally attended will win because they saw the movie for cheaper and are rewarded by the MPAA for spreading the word...

Just a thought i had...

lemme know if this seems logical to you guys...
 
No, I think there's too much potential for abuse if movie theaters did it that way. Studios could possibly pressure theaters to jack up prices on movies from other studios while lowballing the prices on their own movies in order to get more people to see that movie. Hence, making up for what they lose in price by making it back in volume of ticket sales.

Also, there's no way to absolutely predict what is or isn't going to be a big hit (e.g. My Big Fat Greek Wedding). I think this would also tend to drive people away from seeing lesser-known but good movies as well. Why go see Memento for $8 when you can see Matrix Reloaded for $5 instead? Yes, I know that isn't a real-life example, just an example I made up.
 
The multiplex theaters have fixed operating costs. It costs them just as much to maintain the theater playing a B movie as it does the one showing a blockbuster hit. If they lower the prices to the B movies they will be forced to raise the prices equally for the good movies.

I would be interested in knowing what the profit margin is at the megaplexes. I'm guessing that it's pretty thin, though I could be completely wrong.
 
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
The multiplex theaters have fixed operating costs. It costs them just as much to maintain the theater playing a B movie as it does the one showing a blockbuster hit. If they lower the prices to the B movies they will be forced to raise the prices equally for the good movies.

I would be interested in knowing what the profit margin is at the megaplexes. I'm guessing that it's pretty thin, though I could be completely wrong.
Click to expand...
My understanding is almost no profit (if any) is turned by ticket sales since the cost to purchase the movies (for showing) is so expensive. A majority of the profit sits in concession sales.

 
I think that the people that already make these decisions probably have more experience and knowledge in the matter.
 
Originally posted by: minendo
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
The multiplex theaters have fixed operating costs. It costs them just as much to maintain the theater playing a B movie as it does the one showing a blockbuster hit. If they lower the prices to the B movies they will be forced to raise the prices equally for the good movies.

I would be interested in knowing what the profit margin is at the megaplexes. I'm guessing that it's pretty thin, though I could be completely wrong.
Click to expand...
My understanding is almost no profit (if any) is turned by ticket sales since the cost to purchase the movies (for showing) is so expensive. A majority of the profit sits in concession sales.
Click to expand...

The studios make half of the ticket sales and the studios still have to pay for the print. It's a really bad situation for them and I'm not sure why anyone would willingly open a movie theater.
 
You guys are all wrong... and uncreative. In big theatres you just buy a ticket to the cheap movie and go to whichever one you want. THINK PEOPLE.

i.e. I buy a ticket to Dumb and Dumberer for $4 and go to the Hulk playing in a theatre down the hall!
 
fun idea. competition based on cost and percieved entertainment value.

on another front, my local theatre has devised a completely hillarious pricing system. They took the tinnie theatres typically saved for 3rd week runs and decided to call them "directror's halls". Regular price for a ticket is 9.00, DH is 12.00. Reg matinee is 5.50, DH is 9.00. Amazingly people actually buy tickets for the directors hall, so that they can get the smallest screen in the entire complex. weird. also, when the run out of regular theatres they give you "Free upgrades" to the small screen. Retarded marketing-

maybe the next gen theatre will sport special "premium screening rooms" that feature 5 chairs and a 27" tv.
 
I don't go to the movies very often for 2 reasons;
1.)Price- to take a family of 4 it costs over $50 bucks for something we might not like.
2.)Comfort- With only 2 theaters, I don't have much choice in my area because they both suck.
 
Well if a movie can attract more people they'll just open more theaters. Plus if you lower the ticket price people may think the movie really blows and really not want to see it.

personally I think movies are too expensive to see in the theater these days for any but the best. ticket plus popcorn/pop just isn't worth it to me. I can rent a movie for under $5 and get my own crap or pay $30 for myself and mrsskoorb to see it. What's the point other than a bigger screen (my sound is good) and seeing it earlier? I can wait. I see maybe 6-8/year in theater these days as opposed to probably 30/year when I was a bit younger.
 
Originally posted by: isaacmacdonald
fun idea. competition based on cost and percieved entertainment value.

on another front, my local theatre has devised a completely hillarious pricing system. They took the tinnie theatres typically saved for 3rd week runs and decided to call them "directror's halls". Regular price for a ticket is 9.00, DH is 12.00. Reg matinee is 5.50, DH is 9.00. Amazingly people actually buy tickets for the directors hall, so that they can get the smallest screen in the entire complex. weird. also, when the run out of regular theatres they give you "Free upgrades" to the small screen. Retarded marketing-

maybe the next gen theatre will sport special "premium screening rooms" that feature 5 chairs and a 27" tv.
Click to expand...

yet by your own admission int he thread its workig...people are actually payign to see it...like lambs to the slaughter
 
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Well if a movie can attract more people they'll just open more theaters. Plus if you lower the ticket price people may think the movie really blows and really not want to see it.

personally I think movies are too expensive to see in the theater these days for any but the best. ticket plus popcorn/pop just isn't worth it to me. I can rent a movie for under $5 and get my own crap or pay $30 for myself and mrsskoorb to see it. What's the point other than a bigger screen (my sound is good) and seeing it earlier? I can wait. I see maybe 6-8/year in theater these days as opposed to probably 30/year when I was a bit younger.
Click to expand...

but if you wait to see it at home and want to have the true movie going experience....u have to have a big screen, home theater setup..

then u have to have your freinds come over and talk during the movie...
have cell phones going off and babies crying in the background.....
 
Originally posted by: Brymo
cough... DOWNLOAD cough....
Click to expand...

hehe. Yeah, me too, but sometimes my chick gets tired of seeing everything a month before all of her friends. We saw 28 days like 2 months ago, and her friend just asked us to come to the premier this friday... *sigh*.

sometimes movies aren't downloadable too. I couldn't find whale rider anywhere last week-

 
Originally posted by: aeroguy
You guys are all wrong... and uncreative. In big theatres you just buy a ticket to the cheap movie and go to whichever one you want. THINK PEOPLE.

i.e. I buy a ticket to Dumb and Dumberer for $4 and go to the Hulk playing in a theatre down the hall!
Click to expand...

BINGO !!!!! He hit it right on the head.

Charging different prices for different movies is unfeasible.
This require someone standing at the door of every single movie entrance and checking everyone's ticket everytime.

Beside, ticket prices have remained very reasonable through the years.
Compare this to sporting events, its a bargain.

 
I wait for the $1 theatre here. Movies go there right before they come out on video, but it's less for my wife and I to go to a movie there than to rent it in a couple weeks. Of course I go to school in Iowa.
rolleye.gif
 
Movie exhibitors (theatres) have been losing money for years. The bulk of the money from ticket revenues goes to the studios in (usually) the first four weeks of a film's first-run, then the percentage shifts towards the theatre in the later weeks of the run -- of course, long after everyone has already seen the film.

Not that the steady increase in ticket prices can be directly attributed to this since it doesn't really address the fundamental problem, which is that theatres don't get money when the movies are making the most, but there's certainly an impetus there.
 
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
The multiplex theaters have fixed operating costs. It costs them just as much to maintain the theater playing a B movie as it does the one showing a blockbuster hit. If they lower the prices to the B movies they will be forced to raise the prices equally for the good movies.

I would be interested in knowing what the profit margin is at the megaplexes. I'm guessing that it's pretty thin, though I could be completely wrong.
Click to expand...

Most theaters do not make ANY money off of the movie tickets. They are paying for the copies of the movies and the rigts to show them. Some of these deals are outrageous and leave the theaters with only concessions sales to make a profit ( this is why they dont like you bringing in stuff, thats the only way they make money most times) When a small buzz movie does well ( Greek Wedding) then the movie theaters can really rake it in, becauise they probably only promised to show the film for a few weeks and offered a small take to the film company, and after the contract is up, the usually make a higher percentage of the box office take.
 
Where I live, it's 9 bucks for adult and 8 bucks for kids. How crazy is that? Oh yeah, its called King of Prussia United Artist Stadium 16, has an IMAX theater =D
 
Originally posted by: nativesunshine
Or...you can just try to make the midday matinee?
Click to expand...

You always have such great replies....
rolleye.gif


Matinees are $6-6.5 here not much a savings and when you consider about 1 year ago or so that was full-fare and a matinee was 50%...now matinees are 75-80%. It does make rentals a much better value, but I see them raising pricing soon also.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top