MoviePass

Last updated

MoviePass, Inc.
Company type Private
Industry Entertainment
FoundedJune 30, 2011;13 years ago (2011-06-30)
Founders
Headquarters
New York City
Area served
United States
Key people
 Stacy Spikes (CEO)
ServicesSubscription-based movie ticketing
OwnerStacy Spikes
Website www.moviepass.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Footnotes /references
[1]

MoviePass, Inc. is an American subscription-based movie ticketing service [2] [3] owned by co-founder Stacy Spikes. [4]

Contents

The service was launched in 2011 and allowed subscribers to purchase up to a movie ticket a day for a monthly fee. [5] The service utilized a mobile app, where users check in to a theater and choose a movie and showtime, which resulted in the cost of the ticket being loaded to a prepaid debit card, which was used to purchase the ticket from the movie theater.

In 2017, the service was acquired by Helios and Matheson Analytics (HMNY) and the subscription cost was significantly lowered to $9.95 per month. Membership ballooned to over three million subscribers by June 2018, but the service began to suffer from financial issues, which ultimately caused the service to shut down in September 2019. On January 28, 2020, MoviePass' parent company HMNY filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and announced that it had ceased all business operations. [6] [7]

On November 10, 2021, MoviePass co-founder Stacy Spikes was approved ownership of the company by a New York bankruptcy court judge. Spikes—who was fired from the company in 2018, shortly after it was acquired by HMNY—announced a relaunch of the service in 2022.

History

Original service

MoviePass was founded in 2011 by technology and entertainment entrepreneurs Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt. [8] [9] It was backed by major investors including True Ventures, AOL Ventures, Lambert Media, Moxie Pictures and other investors. [10]

The company launched in beta in June 2011 in San Francisco. [11] During initial trials, it encountered resistance from movie theater chains, resulting in the company going on a "temporary hiatus". [10] At first, MoviePass operated with a voucher system. Members printed a voucher on their home computers and redeemed them for movie tickets at participating cinemas. In August 2011, the company partnered with Hollywood Movie Money to conduct its service through its preexisting voucher program and cinema network. [12]

The voucher system was replaced after users complained it was cumbersome. In October 2012, following a national beta test, the service switched to a mobile app and electronically preloaded prepaid card. While MoviePass claimed the card could be used at all cinemas that accepted major credit cards, there was still some hostility from the industry, including AMC Theatres, who publicly disassociated itself from the service. [13] [14]

In June 2016, MoviePass named Mitch Lowe, a former executive of Netflix and Redbox, as its new CEO. Lowe had been an advisor to the company since 2014. [15] Under Lowe, the service began to experiment with different pricing models; Lowe stated that his eventual goal was to have a low-end service at around $20 per month, ranging up towards a high-end service at around $100 with unlimited movies and availability of 3D screenings. In some regions, the service tried offering different subscription plans to users, such as a $50 plan for six movies per month, or $99 for unlimited—both allowing users to purchase tickets to 3D screenings. The new plans were criticized by those who felt that they were designed to gouge "unprofitable" frequent users of the service. [16] [17]

In July 2016, MoviePass unveiled a new plan structure effective in September, with tiers based on two, three, or unlimited movies per month. Prices vary by region, with (for example) the two-movie-per-month plan costing from $15 in small markets to $21 in larger ones. The unlimited plans were also modified to remove the previous restriction of one film every 24 hours, with prices ranging from $40 to $50 per month. Lowe argued that the new plans were designed to appeal to those who did not go to movies often. [18] In December 2016, the service had 20,000 subscribers. [19]

Studio Movie Grill purchased a stake in the company in December 2016. MoviePass and Studio Movie Grill were also partnering on testing food features through the MoviePass app including OpenTable (purchases) and Explore More (menu). [20]

Helios and Matheson subsidiary

In August 2017, a majority stake in MoviePass was sold to the analytics firm Helios and Matheson. At the same time, the company announced that it would lower its price for an unlimited plan allowing one film per-day, to $9.95 per month. Lowe explained that "after years of studying and analysis we found that people want to go to the movies more often, but the pricing keeps going up, and that prevents them from going more. We're making it more affordable for people." Helios and Matheson's CEO Ted Farnsworth stated the service wanted to increase the size of its userbase in order to analyze viewing habits for targeted advertising. Farnsworth compared the model to those of Facebook and Google, whose free services are subsidized by the collection of personal information for advertising. [21] [8] After announcing their new pricing, the company's website went down due to the increase in traffic. [22] By September 2017, the number of subscribers had increased to 400,000, to 600,000 in mid-October, to one million in December, and two million in February 2018. In June 2018, the company announced in a press release that it had more than three million paying subscribers. [23] [24] [25]

Helios advanced MoviePass $55 million from December to February 20, 2018. MoviePass then converted the advances from debt to capital. Helios ownership stake thus increased from 62.4 percent to 81.2 percent. Another $35 million in advances converted to capital put Helios to 91.8 percent allowing for a merger unilaterally initiated by the Helios board. [26] On January 19, 2018, at the Sundance Film Festival, MoviePass announced the new subsidiary MoviePass Ventures, which would co-acquire films with traditional distributors. [27] [28]

In February 2018, the price further dropped to $7.95 per month for new customers if they paid annually. [29] In March, they lowered it to $6.95. [30] In April 2018, Helios and Matheson acquired the movie listings website Moviefone from Verizon Communications's digital media subsidiary Oath Inc., with Verizon taking a stake in MoviePass stock. [31] [32]

Also in April 2018, MoviePass quietly removed the unlimited plan for new customers, and replaced it with a new plan limited to three movies per-month, bundled with a complimentary three-month trial of iHeartRadio All-Access. Lowe stated that he was not sure if the previous plan would be reinstated, explaining that "We just always try different things. Every time we try a new promotion, we never put a deadline on it." [33] There was also a change that prohibited MoviePass customers from buying multiple tickets to "select" movies. [34] The unlimited plan was reinstated two weeks later, with the limited plan maintained as a cheaper option at the $7.95 price point; Lowe stated that the company was "absolutely committed" to keeping the unlimited option. [35] [36]

Financial issues

In May 2018, MoviePass' cash expenses exceeded its revenues by $40 million and the company announced that it expected to run a deficit of $45 million in the month of June. [37] [38] In late June 2018, Forbes reported that MoviePass was responding to the creation of the competitor AMC Stubs A-List by announcing new fees for its service, with surge fees added to popular films and prime timeslots. [38] The peak pricing rolled out was $2 to $6 extra during peak times. In the summer of 2018 the company launched a $164 million bond sale. [39] [40] MoviePass said subscribers could waive one peak fee per month. [41] At the end of the month, MoviePass announced it would begin selling merchandise. [38]

On July 2, Helios and Matheson Analytics filed to raise $1.2 billion to keep MoviePass solvent. [38] They filed to sell debt and securities. [42] Following a "service interruption" on July 26, the firm announced that it was forced to borrow $5 million in order to continue its operations; auditors doubted whether the company would be able to remain in business. [2] The weekend following this disruption, there were reports that screenings of Mission: Impossible – Fallout had been blacked out from the service. [43] The following Monday, the company announced it would not be offering its services for upcoming major releases, such as The Meg (which was projected to debut to about $20 million), but would continue operating for smaller films, albeit with the continued peak pricing. [44]

On August 6, 2018, MoviePass backtracked on plans to raise its monthly fee from $9.95 to $14.95, [45] but announced that it would instead limit these subscribers to three free tickets per-month, with any further screening offering a $5 discount on the ticket price instead. MoviePass stated that this measure was intended to "protect the longevity of our company and prevent abuse of the service." [46] On August 16, 2018, MoviePass announced that it would also limit the service's film options to "up to six films to choose from daily, including a selection of major studio first-run films and independent releases". [47]

By early August 2018, Helios and Matheson completed the acquisition of Emmett Furla Oasis Films assets for the MoviePass subsidiary, MoviePass Films. [48] On August 24, 2018, MoviePass announced that it had ceased providing its previous annual unlimited plan, with all subscribers transitioned to the monthly limited plan. Subscribers who do not wish to have this plan were instructed to cancel their subscriptions by August 31, 2018, to receive a pro-rated refund (as per the MoviePass terms of service, users who cancel their subscription may not re-join the service for 9 months). [49] By October, reportedly over a million subscribers had cancelled the service, and by April 2019, paying subscribers had fallen over 90% from its peak, to 225,000. [50] [51]

In November 2018, a class action lawsuit was filed in San Francisco for not following through on its promises by blacking out various popular movies. On February 2, 2019, another class action suit was filed in New York state court against MoviePass for using bait-and-switch tactics. [52]

The company announced its closure on September 14, 2019, because "efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful to date." [53] On September 17, 2019, Ted Farnsworth resigned as MoviePass CEO and chairman while placing an offer for MoviePass assets and related businesses: Moviefone, MoviePass Films production company, MoviePass Ventures film co-acquisition unit. [54]

On November 10, 2021, a bankruptcy judge allowed the sale of the company back to one of the original founders, Stacy Spikes. Spikes has announced that the company is exploring a relaunch. [55]

2022 relaunch

In August 2022, after co-founder Stacy Spikes reacquired the company, Spikes announced the service would relaunch. Its new pricing model would be a tiered system, with $10, $20, and $30 options, with variation by market. The firm announced there would be a waitlist with a limited number of users under its beta model, and its launch would differ from region to region based on engagement. [56] [57] [58] [59] [60]

In September 2022, Insider reported that the Moviepass' beta relaunch will kick off in Chicago, Dallas and Kansas City starting on Labor Day, adding that the subscribers can watch up to five movies in a month. A week prior to this announcement, the company said that more than 775,000 people signed up to the waitlist. [61]

In January 2023, MoviePass raised seed financing led by Animoca Brands for an undisclosed amount. MoviePass said it plans to use the new funding to accelerate the beta relaunch of its movie theatre subscription service, and to develop and implement the company's Web3 strategy, which includes virtual reality cinema experiences and using technology to drive traffic to theaters. As of January 2023, the MoviePass beta version is live in nine U.S. markets including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Tampa Bay. [62]

Accolades

MoviePass was named as one of the "25 Most Disruptive Apps of 2012" and part of "The Best of Everything in 2012" by Business Insider . [63] [64] The 2017 change in business model was successful in attracting customers; the service reported having 2 million subscribers in February 2018. That same month, the company announced at the Sundance Film Festival that it would also acquire and distribute films under the new subsidiary, MoviePass Ventures.

Operation

Subscribers to MoviePass were issued a branded prepaid debit card. Using the MoviePass mobile app, users checked-in at a supported cinema, and selected a film and showtime occurring within the next 30 minutes; the card was automatically loaded with the amount of money needed to purchase a single ticket from the cinema for that film. The user then purchased their ticket as usual, using their MoviePass card as their payment method. [65] Hence, the service was subsidizing the purchase of tickets directly from the cinema by the customer. Some cinemas supported e-tickets through MoviePass. [66] [21] [67] MoviePass said that its service was supported at 91% of U.S. cinemas. One regional dine-in chain, Studio Movie Grill, made an investment in MoviePass, and partnered to pilot features such as food ordering from within the app. [68]

The service went through several pricing structures following its original invite-only launch (including those limited to two or three films per month, and "unlimited" plans, with pricing based on market size), before announcing in August 2017 that it would switch to offering a plan with a single film per day priced at $9.95 per month. [69] The change in business model came with the acquisition of a majority stake in the company by an analytics firm, which sought to widen the service's reach so it could collect more information on customer viewing habits.

The MoviePass service had several limitations. It could not be used for screenings in specialty formats such as 3D or IMAX. The service also did not support advance purchase of tickets, and only allowed solo purchases. [66] [70] [67] Effective April 2018, a user could only use MoviePass on a particular film once. [71] As of July 2018, certain screenings had possible additional fees based on demand. [72]

Criticism and controversy

The business model of MoviePass faced notable resistance from major cinema chains since its launch; the company's 21-theatre pilot in San Francisco was called off after objections by AMC Theatres and Landmark Theatres, who were included in the slate of locations without their knowledge. Stacy Spikes explained to Deadline Hollywood that he "imagine[d] a day where studio executives can see real-time decisions that subscribers are making from their phones and devices. If studios say they are not interested in being able to talk to their customers, knowing what they are thinking and being able to notify them of things like ancillary items, and that theater owners aren't interested in having these people go to the movies more, and drive up concessions sales, and having us put all this in the palms of their hands, then I'm in the wrong business." [10]

Following the announcement of MoviePass' new pricing model in August 2017, AMC stated that it was "actively working now to determine whether it may be feasible to opt out and not participate in this shaky and unsustainable program", as "by definition and absent some other form of other compensation, MoviePass will be losing money on every subscriber seeing two movies or more in a month", and that lowering its prices in response to the service would harm the customer experience. [73] The service's original pricing depended on a business model similar to those of health clubs, where the company would profit more if customers paid for the service but only used it on occasion. [8] [73] On March 13, 2019, MoviePass executive VP Khalid Itum departed the company. Itum had assumed day-to-day control of the service since November 2018. [74]

In an effort to limit costs during the height of the service's popularity, MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe directed the product team to implement three programs that were designed to artificially throttle users' benefits. First, they forcibly reset the passwords for approximately 75,000 of the most active user accounts under the false pretense of detecting "suspicious activity". [75] [76] [77] When these users tried to change their passwords, the system would be non-functional, leading to service outages of a week or more. [75] Second, they implemented a "random" audit process where some users would be required to take a photograph of their ticket stub to verify that they had actually watched the movie. In truth, these audits targeted the 450,000 most active users and the verification process was prone to errors, sometimes leading to closure of the account. [75] Third, they added a hidden "trip wire" for users who saw more than three movies in a month which prevented them from using the service at all when this undisclosed limit was reached. [75] [78] Other executives who were aware of the programs feared consumer backlash and a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation if they were ever discovered. [75] The FTC filed a legal complaint against MoviePass over these deceptive business practices, who chose to settle the case in 2021. [79]

On August 20, 2019, cybersecurity firm SpiderSilk informed MoviePass of a data breach involving sensitive data including credit card numbers for tens of thousands of MoviePass users. [80]

MoviePass Ventures

On January 19, 2018, at the Sundance Film Festival, MoviePass announced the new subsidiary MoviePass Ventures, which would co-acquire films with traditional distributors. Lowe explained that the company wanted to "bring great films to the big screen across the country for our subscribers", and that "given the successes we have demonstrated for our distributor partners in ensuring strong box office in the theatrical window, it's only natural for us to double down and want to play alongside them – and share in the upside." [27] [28]

MoviePass Ventures' first acquisition (in partnership with The Orchard), Bart Layton's American Animals , was on June 1, 2018, while their second, Gotti starring John Travolta as the titular mob boss, was released on June 15, 2018. [81] The MoviePass Venture operation was questioned by some in the industry, with one independent studio head telling Deadline Hollywood : "It used to be in distribution, we'd all gossip whether a studio was buying tickets to their own movie to goose their opening, but in the case of MoviePass, there's no secret: They're literally buying the tickets to their own movie". [82] According to MoviePass' own reports, the service made up 25–35% of American Animals' opening weekend ticket sales, and around 40% of Gotti's. [83]

MoviePass Venture films

It was noted that the MoviePass Ventures film Gotti had large disparities between critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, with most of the positive reviews coming from new users, and those whose only other review was of fellow release American Animals . This led to allegations that MoviePass was attempting to manipulate reviews in order to bolster the service. [84] [85]

TitleRelease dateDirectorProduction companiesDistributor
American Animals [81] June 1, 2018 Bart Layton
co-distributed with The Orchard
Gotti [81] June 15, 2018 Kevin Connolly
co-distributed with Vertical Entertainment

MoviePass Films

In May 2018, Helios and Matheson Analytics, the parent company of MoviePass, acquired the option to purchase the assets of Emmett/Furla Oasis plus gain its executives' expertise in making films for a new subsidiary, MoviePass Films. The new company would be 51% owned by Helios and the remainder by EFO. [86] By early August 2018, Helios and Matheson completed the acquisition of Emmett Furla Oasis Films assets for the MoviePass subsidiary, MoviePass Films. The first film produced under the MoviePass Films was announced to be 10 Minutes Gone starring Bruce Willis, [87] which the first of a three film pact with Willis. [88] In late September 2018, the company acquired equity stakes and co-distribution in two films distributed by Neon to be released soon. [89]

In March 2019, The Boies/Schiller Film Group filed suit on Tuesday, accusing Emmett/Furla Oasis Films of breaching a deal to produce Escape Plan sequels starring Sylvester Stallone. According to the suit, Boies/Schiller put up a $6 million loan for the $65 million project. The arrangement also gave Boies/Schiller rights to finance and produce the sequels, Escape Plan 2: Hades and Escape Plan: The Extractors . Boies/Schiller alleges that Emmett/Furla Oasis Films breached that agreement, and did not allow Boies/Schiller to put up financing for the sequels. The suit claims Emmett/Furla also failed to pay an executive producing fee on each of the two movies. [90]

Oasis Ventures Entertainment sued MoviePass Films on October 14, 2019, over the theft of films and for lack of consent from Oasis in making the deal with Helios and Matheson. [91]

MoviePass Films was the final company to bear the MoviePass name after MoviePass was shut down in 2020, thus being Boss Level the last released film of the company in 2021. Originally they had acquired American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally but after its closure they will no longer produce it, the rights of the film were transferred to Vertical Entertainment and Redbox Entertainment.

MoviePass Films

TitleRelease dateDirectorProduction companiesDistributor
A Vigilante March 10, 2018Sarah Daggar-Nickson
 Saban Films
Escape Plan: The Extractors July 2, 2019 John Herzfeld
  • Emmett/Furla/Oasis
  • Highland Film Group
  • Diamond Films Productions
  • Leomus Pictures
  • The Fyzz
  • Ingenious Media
Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment/Grindstone Entertainment Group (United States)


Universal Pictures (International)

10 Minutes Gone September 27, 2019Brian A. Miller
  • Emmett/Furla/Oasis
  • Diamond Film Productions
  • Highland Film Group
Lionsgate/Grindstone Entertainment Group
Boss Level March 5, 2021 Joe Carnahan
  • Highland Film Group
  • Emmett/Furla/Oasis
  • Diamond Film Productions
  • The Fyzz
  • Ingenious Media
  • WarParty Films
Hulu

Acquired films

TitleRelease dateDirectorNotes
Monsters and Men September 28, 2018 Reinaldo Marcus Green Equity stakes & co-release with Neon
Border May 10, 2018 Ali Abbasi Equity stakes & co-release with TriArt Film
Villains September 20, 2019Dan Berk

Robert Olsen

Equity stakes & co-release with Gunpowder & Sky and Bron Studios
The Reckoning August 20, 2020 Neil Marshall Equity stakes & co-release with Highland Film Group

See also

Related Research Articles

Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos, television shows and films digitally on request. These multimedia are accessed without a traditional video playback device and a typical static broadcasting schedule, which was popular under traditional broadcast programming, instead involving newer modes of content consumption that have risen as Internet and IPTV technologies have become prominent, and culminated in the arrival of VOD and over-the-top (OTT) media services on televisions and personal computers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netflix</span> American video streaming service

Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMC Theatres</span> American movie theater chain

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. is an American movie theater chain founded in Kansas City, Missouri, and now headquartered in Leawood, Kansas. It is the largest movie theater chain in the world. Founded in 1920, AMC has the largest share of the U.S. theater market ahead of Regal Cinemas and Cinemark Theatres.

Redbox Automated Retail, LLC is an American video rental and streaming media company, based in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois that is bankrupt and in the process of shutting down. Redbox specializes in its namesake automated DVD rental kiosks, and also operated transactional and ad-supported streaming video and television services. Since 2022, Redbox has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virgin Mobile USA</span> Former American mobile network provider

Virgin Mobile USA was a no-contract Mobile Virtual Network Operator. It used Sprint's network for coverage. It licensed the Virgin Mobile brand from United Kingdom-based Virgin Group. Virgin Mobile USA was headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and provided service to approximately 6 million customers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hulu</span> American subscription streaming service and content hub

Hulu is an American subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.

DVD-by-mail is a business model in which customers rent DVDs and similar discs containing films, television shows, video games and the like, ordering online for delivery to the customer by mail. Generally, all interaction between the renter and the rental company takes place through the company's website, using an e-commerce model. Typically, a customer chooses from a list of titles online and adds titles to a queue. As a customer's requested titles become available, the company sends them out. When the customer is finished with the disc, they mail it back to the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moviefone</span> Movie listing service

Moviefone is an American-based moving pictures listing and information service. Moviegoers can obtain local showtimes, cinema information, film reviews, and advance tickets, as well as TV content and a comprehensive search tool that allows users to find theaters, channels, and streaming services offering movies and television shows. The service is owned by Born in Cleveland LLC, Cleveland O'Neal III's holding company. O'Neal is creator and producer of Made in Hollywood syndicated daytime entertainment show.

YouTube TV is an American Internet Protocol television service operated by YouTube, a subsidiary of Google. Announced on February 28, 2017, the virtual multichannel video programming distributor offers a selection of live linear channel feeds and on-demand content from more than 100 television networks and over 30 OTT-originated services, as well as a cloud-based DVR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Movies Anywhere</span> Digital locker and streaming platform

Movies Anywhere(MA) is a cloud-based digital rights locker and over-the-top streaming platform that allows users to stream and download purchased films, including digital copies redeemed from codes found in home video releases as well as digital purchases from participating services. Movies Anywhere is operated by The Walt Disney Company. The platform provides content from Walt Disney Studios, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. The system utilizes an internal platform known as KeyChest, which synchronizes content licenses from digital distribution platforms linked to a central user account.

UltraViolet was a cloud-based digital rights locker for films and television programs that allowed consumers to store proofs-of-purchase of licensed content in an account to enable playback on different devices using multiple applications from several different streaming services. UltraViolet also allowed users to share access to their library with up to five additional people. UltraViolet was deployed by the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE), an alliance of 85 companies that included film studios, retailers, consumer electronics manufacturers, cable television companies, internet service providers (ISPs), internet hosting vendors, and other systems and security vendors, with the notable exceptions of Walt Disney Studios, Google, Amazon and Apple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presto (streaming company)</span>

Presto was an Australian media streaming company which offered subscriptions to unlimited viewing of selected films, and from 2015, TV series. The service, initially owned wholly by Foxtel, launched on 13 March 2014 featuring films exclusively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmett/Furla Oasis</span> American film production company

Emmett/Furla Oasis Films, previously known as Emmett/Furla Films and Oasis Ventures Entertainment separately, is an American film and television production and financing company founded by Randall Emmett and George Furla in 1998. It is notable for funding and producing the films End of Watch, 2 Guns and Lone Survivor. To date, Emmett/Furla Oasis Films has produced more than 80 films which have grossed a total of $1 billion from box office ticket sales worldwide—an average of roughly $13 million per film.

Sinemia was a subscription-based service for discounted movie-ticket plans. Sinemia advertised a variety of subscription types, including those allowing users to watch movies in every format available at any movie theater with no limitation on the dates or movie showtimes, however the service was plagued with problems. Sinemia was the only international movie-ticket subscription service that operated in the UK, Canada, Turkey, and Australia alongside the US. Sinemia ceased operations in the US on April 26, 2019.

<i>Gotti</i> (2018 film) 2018 film by Kevin Connolly

Gotti is a 2018 American biographical crime film about New York City mobster John Gotti, directed by Kevin Connolly and written by Lem Dobbs and Leo Rossi. It stars John Travolta as Gotti, alongside his real-life wife Kelly Preston as Gotti's wife Victoria in her penultimate film.

J. Mitchell Lowe is an American businessman known for his work in the video and rental industry. He was the CEO of MoviePass, a subscription service that charged members a monthly fee for movie tickets at cinemas. He has also served as an executive at Netflix and the president of Redbox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney+</span> American video streaming service

Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming media service owned and operated by Disney Streaming, the streaming division of Disney Entertainment, a major business segment of the Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television shows produced by Walt Disney Studios and Disney Television Studios, with dedicated content hubs for Disney's flagship brands; Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, ESPN, Hulu, and Star as well as showcasing original and exclusive films and television shows.

Helios and Matheson Analytics was a publicly traded data analytics company based in New York City, New York. The company became widely known during its final years for acquiring and subsequently operating MoviePass, which ultimately led to the company's bankruptcy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apple TV+</span> American video streaming service

Apple TV+ is an American subscription OTT streaming service owned and operated by Apple Inc. Launched on November 1, 2019, it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service was announced during the Apple Special Event of March 2019, where entertainers from Apple TV+ projects appeared onstage, including Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, and Steven Spielberg. The service can be accessed through Apple's website and through the Apple TV app, which has gradually become available on many Apple devices and some major competing digital media players, including some smart TV models and video-game consoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neon (service)</span> Subscription video on demand service; division of Sky Network Television Limited

Neon, marketed as NEON until 2020, is a subscription video on demand (SVOD) service offering a range of television shows and movies. The platform is a division of Sky Network Television Limited.

References

  1. ↑ Olson, Mathew (July 31, 2018). "A Timeline Of MoviePass's Rapid Rise And Fall". Digg. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Zaveri, Mihir (July 29, 2018). "Future of MoviePass Is in Doubt After Service Outage, Experts Say". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  3. ↑ McArdle, Megan (August 2, 2018). "Three theories on why MoviePass failed". Washington Post. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  4. ↑ Guerrasio, Jason (November 11, 2021). "MoviePass cofounder Stacy Spikes has bought the company back and is planning a relaunch". Insider .
  5. ↑ Locklear, Mallory (August 24, 2018). "MoviePass forces annual subscribers to its new three-movie plan early". Engadget. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  6. ↑ "MoviePass Parent Company Files For Bankruptcy". Variety . January 29, 2020.
  7. ↑ Linnane, Ciara. "MoviePass parent Helios and Matheson files for Chapter 7 and stock falls to zero". MarketWatch. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 "Netflix Co-Founder's Crazy Plan: Pay $10 a Month, Go to the Movies All You Want". Bloomberg.com. August 15, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  9. ↑ Guerrasio, Jason. "Ousted MoviePass cofounder Stacy Spikes breaks his silence on the startup's whirlwind rise and crash to financial reality". bisnessinsider.com. Insider Inc. Retrieved August 20, 2019. So we cofounded MoviePass. I focused on getting the product built, and he focused on the funding.
  10. 1 2 3 Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 1, 2011). "UPDATE: MoviePass Gets Its Ticket Punched As Trial Launch Is Cancelled After Two Movie Chains Give It Thumbs Down". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  11. ↑ Lawler, Ryan (June 27, 2011). "Will MoviePass' subscription plan connect with moviegoers?". gigaom.com. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  12. ↑ "MoviePass Tries Unlimited Movie Plan Again, This Time With Help". TheWrap. August 30, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  13. ↑ Brustein, Joshua (January 18, 2013). "A Movie a Day, Without Breaking the Bank". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  14. ↑ Tuttle, Brad. "MoviePass Goes National: Unlimited Trips to the Movies from $25 Per Month". Time. ISSN   0040-781X . Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Ex-Netflix Exec Mitch Lowe Takes Over as MoviePass CEO". Variety. June 28, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  16. ↑ Lang, Brett (July 2016). "MoviePass to Experiment With New Pricing Models, CEO Says". Variety. Retrieved August 17, 2017. What they're trying to do is eliminate the unprofitable people. The people who use the service all the time.
  17. ↑ Hardawar, Devindra (July 12, 2016). "MoviePass unveils new prices, starting at $15 a month". Engadget. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  18. ↑ Hardawar, Devindra (July 12, 2016). "MoviePass unveils new prices, starting at $15 a month". Engadget. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  19. ↑ "MoviePass Gets Serious About Customer Acquisition". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  20. ↑ Verhoeven, Beatrice (December 19, 2016). "MoviePass Launches Partnership with Studio Movie Grill". TheWrap. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  21. 1 2 Lang, Brent (August 15, 2017). "MoviePass Sells to Helios and Matheson Analytics". Variety. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  22. ↑ "MoviePass's Crazy Popular Subscription Deal Immediately Crashed the Site". Inverse. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  23. ↑ Cakebread, Caroline (September 14, 2017). "After cutting prices for its movie-a-day subscription service, MoviePass is struggling to keep up with demand". Business Insider . Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  24. ↑ Williams, Trey (October 24, 2017). "MoviePass is now servicing more than 600,000 subscribers". MarketWatch . Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  25. ↑ McNary, Dave (February 8, 2017). "MoviePass Tops 2 Million Mark in Subscribers". Variety. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  26. ↑ Morgan, Richard (April 23, 2018). "MoviePass owners weighing merger despite burning through cash". New York Post. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  27. 1 2 Lang, Brent (January 19, 2018). "Sundance: MoviePass Announces It Will Acquire Films". Variety. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  28. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 19, 2018). "MoviePass Launches MoviePass Ventures: Subsidiary Will Co-Acquire Films With Distributors – Sundance". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  29. ↑ Allen Clark, Peter (February 10, 2018). "MoviePass somehow just got even cheaper". Mashable . Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Moviepass Lowers Price To $6.95 Per Month". Reuters. March 23, 2018. Archived from the original on August 6, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  31. ↑ Smith, Gerry (April 5, 2018). "MoviePass Acquires Moviefone to Bolster Film-a-Day Service". Bloomberg . Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  32. ↑ "MoviePass Just Bought Moviefone. Here's What It Means for Moviegoers". Fortune. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  33. ↑ "MoviePass CEO says he doesn't know if the one-movie-per-day subscription will ever return". TechCrunch. April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  34. ↑ ""MoviePass Unlimited"". Verge. April 27, 2018.
  35. ↑ Barret, Brian (May 2, 2018). "MoviePass Revives Its Unlimited Plan". Wired. ISSN   1059-1028 . Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  36. ↑ Goldsmith, Jill (May 31, 2018). "MoviePass Expands And Will Now Make Movies Too". Forbes.
  37. ↑ Mills, Chris (June 21, 2018). "MoviePass is losing money faster than ever". BGR News – via finance.yahoo.com.
  38. 1 2 3 4 Amos, Jim (July 5, 2018). "MoviePass' Worst Month Ever (At Least For Now)". Forbes. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  39. ↑ Disis, Jill (July 5, 2018). "MoviePass introduces surge pricing". CNNMoney. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  40. ↑ McNary, Dave (July 5, 2018). "MoviePass Launches 'Peak Pricing' Surcharge". Variety. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  41. ↑ Gottsegen, Gordon. "MoviePass surge pricing is here: $2 to $6 extra at peak times". CNET. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  42. ↑ "MoviePass May Survive After All: Inside Its Bold New Business-Saving Plan". Forbes.com. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  43. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 27, 2018). "MoviePass 'Impossible-Fallout': Tom Cruise Pic Blocked On Ticket Service App Following Thursday Night Outage". Deadline. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  44. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 30, 2018). "Is MoviePass Dead? Ticket Service Won't Cover Big Pics Like 'Meg', 'Christopher Robin' In Near Future – Update". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  45. ↑ Desta, Yohana. "MoviePass Rises from the Dead After Raising Its Monthly Prices". HWD. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  46. ↑ "MoviePass keeps plan at $10, but limits subscribers to three movies a month". TechCrunch. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  47. ↑ "MoviePass is limiting selection to 'up to six films' a day". TechCrunch. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  48. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 7, 2018). "MoviePass Films Sets First Pic: Bruce Willis To Star In '10 Minutes Gone'". Deadline. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  49. ↑ "MoviePass kills off its annual plan -- even if you already paid for it". CNET. August 24, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  50. ↑ Helios And Matheson: Cash Burn Slows Amid Significant Decline In MoviePass Subscriptions. Seeking Alpha. November 19, 2018.
  51. ↑ MoviePass Has Lost Over 90% of Its Subscribers in Less Than a Year (Report). Variety. April 18, 2019.
  52. ↑ Maddaus, Gene (February 2, 2019). "MoviePass Subscribers File Class Action Suit for 'Bait and Switch' Scheme". Variety.
  53. ↑ Palmer, Annie (September 13, 2019). "MoviePass will shut down for good on Sept. 14". CNBC.com. CNBC. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  54. ↑ Szalai, Georg (September 17, 2019). "MoviePass Gets Takeover Offer From Group Led by Former CEO of Parent Company". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  55. ↑ Whitten, Sarah (November 13, 2021). "MoviePass' resurrection will face old problems and new rivals". CNBC. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  56. ↑ Guerrasio, Jason. "MoviePass to relaunch on Labor Day in beta form with pricing ranging from $10-$30 a month". Business Insider. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  57. ↑ "MoviePass will return on September 5th with plans starting at around $10 per month". Engadget. August 22, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  58. ↑ Radulovic, Petrana (August 22, 2022). "MoviePass returns with a new model and without the iconic red card". Polygon. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  59. ↑ Bergeson, Samantha (August 22, 2022). "MoviePass Lives! App Will Have Tiered Pricing, a Waitlist, and a Catch". IndieWire. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  60. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (August 22, 2022). "MoviePass Sets Late Summer Relaunch With Tiered Prices — and a Waitlist". Variety. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  61. ↑ Guerrasio, Jason (September 1, 2022). "MoviePass will relaunch in beta in Dallas, Kansas City, and Chicago — with 5 movies max to see per month". Business Insider . Archived from the original on September 2, 2022.
  62. ↑ Lang, Brent (January 12, 2023). "MoviePass Completes Seed Financing Round Led by Animoca Brands". Variety .
  63. ↑ Smith, Kevin (December 7, 2012). "The Top 25 Most Disruptive Apps Of 2012". Business Insider. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  64. ↑ Polland, Jennifer; Stanger, Melissa (December 24, 2012). "The Best Of Everything In 2012". Business Insider. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  65. ↑ "MoviePass Service Adds Funds Your Card When You Reach the Theater". PC Magazine. Archived from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  66. 1 2 Kelley, Seth (August 15, 2017). "What Is MoviePass? The Pros and Cons of $10-a-Month Unlimited Films". Variety. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  67. 1 2 Tuttle, Brad (August 16, 2017). "Everything You Need to Know About MoviePass, the $10 Monthly Subscription for Unlimited Movie Tickets". Money.com . Archived from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  68. ↑ "Unlimited with Certain Limits, MoviePass' New Policy Brings Frustration". The Film Stage. January 17, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  69. ↑ "Here's how to use MoviePass, the $10-a-month service that lets you see one movie per day in theaters". Business Insider. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  70. ↑ "MoviePass' $9.95 'unlimited' deal is one movie a day". Engadget. August 15, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  71. ↑ "MoviePass no longer lets you see the same movie more than once". Engadget. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  72. ↑ McNary, Dave (July 5, 2018). "MoviePass Launches 'Peak Pricing' Surcharge". Variety. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  73. 1 2 Lang, Brent (August 15, 2017). "AMC Slams MoviePass, Threatening Legal Action". Variety. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  74. ↑ "MoviePass Exec Khalid Itum Exits Company". The Hollywood Reporter. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  75. 1 2 3 4 5 Wilkinson, Alissa (June 9, 2021). "MoviePass was even shadier than we thought". Vox. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  76. ↑ "MoviePass reportedly changed account passwords to prevent users from seeing films - The Verge". August 9, 2019.
  77. ↑ Al-Heeti, Abrar (August 9, 2019). "MoviePass reportedly changed passwords to keep users from ordering tickets". CNET.
  78. ↑ Victor, Daniel (June 8, 2021). "MoviePass Deceived Users So They'd Use It Less, F.T.C. Says". The New York Times. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  79. ↑ "Operators of MoviePass Subscription Service Agree to Settle FTC Allegations that They Limited Usage, Failed to Secure User Data". FTC. June 7, 2021.
  80. ↑ Rahman, Abid (August 22, 2019). "MoviePass Confirms Data Breach That May Have Exposed Credit Card Numbers". The Hollywood Reporter .
  81. 1 2 3 D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 14, 2018). "The Orchard & MoviePass Ventures To Unleash Sundance Acquisition 'American Animals' This Summer". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  82. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 15, 2018). "'Incredibles 2' Opens To $18.5M In Thursday Previews". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  83. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 17, 2018). "MoviePass Reps 40% Of 'Gotti's $1.67M Opening As Critics Slaughter John Travolta Mob Pic". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  84. ↑ Vorel, Jim (June 19, 2018). "Something Suspicious Is Happening With Rotten Tomatoes User Reviews for Gotti". Paste . Paste Media Group. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  85. ↑ Hibbard, James (June 19, 2018). "'Gotti' fires back at movie critics after terrible reviews: 'A troll behind a keyboard'". Entertainment Weekly . Time . Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  86. ↑ Lang, Brent (May 30, 2018). "MoviePass Parent Company Acquiring Emmett Furla Oasis Films". Variety. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  87. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 7, 2018). "MoviePass Films Sets First Pic: Bruce Willis To Star In '10 Minutes Gone'". Deadline. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  88. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (February 11, 2019). "MoviePass Films' 'Axis Sally' Adds Trio To Cast". Deadline. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  89. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 24, 2018). "MoviePass Films Takes Equity Stakes In NEON Films 'Monsters And Men' & 'Border'". Deadline. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  90. ↑ Maddaus, Gene (April 2, 2019). "Boies/Schiller Film Group Sues Over 'Escape Plan' Sequels". Variety. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  91. ↑ Maddaus, Gene (October 16, 2019). "MoviePass Accused of Contract Breach by Oasis Ventures". Variety. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.