MoviePass is back. This time for real. Maybe?
The movie subscription service that flared up too brightly in 2018 and 2019 has risen from the ashes with a new model, new plans and a theoretically improved longevity. From May 25, after a long beta period, anyone can subscribe to MoviePass.
In the first iteration, MoviePass offered unlimited movies for just $9.95, a deal that sounded too good to be true. And it was a bit; suffering from earnings problems exacerbated by the pandemic, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2020. This time, however, there are four plans to choose from, each with some limitations. Plans now come with “credits” to redeem, and each individual movie screening is worth a different number of credits depending on theater, film, and timing. A Thursday night premiere of the next Marvel movie will likely cost you more than a Tuesday matinee of a movie that’s been in theaters for a few months. A maximum of two months of unused credits will be carried over.
The four monthly plans for anywhere in the United States, except NYC and Southern California, are: Basic costs $10 per month and gives you 34 credits per month (about 1-3 movies); Standard costs $20 per month and gives you 72 credits (3-7 movies); Premium costs $30 per month and gives you 113 credits (5-11) of 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 prices for the NYC metro area and Southern California. The subscriptions are as follows: Basic for $20 and 68 credits per month (1-3 movies); Standard for $30 and 140 credits per month (3-7); Premium for $40 and 200 credits per month (5-11 movies); and Pro for $60 a month and 1200 credits (30 movies).
There’s still an “unlimited” option, according to the MoviePass press release, though no specific details were shared beyond the promise that the plan will vary from market to market. Polygon has reached out to MoviePass for clarification and will update this story as representatives respond.