Movies Are Stuck in Luxury-Mode
This post is out of my lane as a blathering scribbler, but… I paid nearly $30 per seat for two IMAX tickets to see F1 in NYC. Plus, another $30 for concessions. That’s a Ferrari-sized bite out of my already aching wallet. And I love car racing, IMAX, and Kosinski camera work. At least I was only buying subway tickets instead of paying for premium gas and premium parking to hit CityWalk.
Why are studio executives, trade press, and filmmakers constantly lamenting declining box office numbers without acknowledging how they’ve priced out regular people?
Industry articles constantly bemoan streaming competition and changing viewing habits, but won’t acknowledge that charging a family of four $100+ or more to see Elio might be part of the problem. Even a bit… aggressive?
The same executives who groan about empty theaters are the ones who approve concession pricing that makes airport food look reasonable. The Filmmakers complaining about audiences not experiencing their vision on the big screen probably have no clue that most families can't afford to experience anything on the big screen more than once or twice a year.
This wheel of pain is severely hurting the theatrical industry: ticket revenue mostly flows to studios and distributors, leaving exhibitors struggling to survive on concession sales. The high prices of which are pissing people off, which means fewer visits, which means raising prices even higher to chase profits. This death spiral punishes loyal moviegoers while industry executives refuse to acknowledge their role in contributing to the collapse.
Shouldn’t it be in somebody’s best interest to try and fix this model before it disappears entirely?
Dynamic Pricing: Why does a $200 million Marvel movie cost the same as an A24 drama that was shot for $5 million? I’m paying the same price to see MI: Final Reckoning as Megan 2.0? Really? Airlines figured out dynamic pricing decades ago. Theaters could charge premium rates for opening weekend blockbusters and offer discounts for smaller films or older releases.
Bundle Everything Upfront: Didn’t McDonald's simplify everything with value meals? Theaters could try their version: one price for the ticket, drink, and popcorn.
Subscription Models: AMC A-List is awesome, but it could go further. What about family plans? Student rates that don't suck? Regional pricing that reflects local economics? I don’t think gas prices are the same in Los Angeles as they are in Las Cruces.
Community-First Approaches: Could solutions come from thinking smaller, not bigger? Local theaters running co-op models, corporate sponsorships that subsidize tickets, and partnerships with restaurants for dinner-and-movie deals.
Feels like streaming services nailed their model with unlimited access, flat pricing, and zero surprises. But movie theaters still charge per item, with hidden fees and inflated extras.
Is my choice subbing to a year of Netflix vs seeing Sinners in 70mm at CityWalk? I loved Sinners. But if I had to choose…
If we’re paying Taylor Swift ticket prices, is it any wonder we’re only going to box office events twice a year instead of a weekly movie night?
When movie-going becomes an annual luxury, cinema, as we know it, will lose its cultural reach and relevance and die.
Update (July 2025): AMC just dropped some news – they're rolling out 50% off movie tickets on Tuesdays for AMC Stubs members, starting July 8. This stacks with their recent 50%-off Wednesday deal and replaces their old $5 Tuesday pricing. They're discounting small popcorn-and-drink combos these days.
It’s still weekend pricing that makes families wince. The big test is whether these weekday deals actually drive enough attendance to shift Hwoods’ overall pricing philosophy, or if it's just moving deck chairs around while keeping the luxury pricing model intact for prime time slots.
