This article explains what the MoviePass service is and how it works, plus why it once shut down and where it works today.

What to Know

  • MoviePass lets you use credits to watch movies. You pay a monthly subscription.It started in 2011 and shut down in 2019, but it’s currently live again.Only limited areas are supported, but more locations are expected later.

MoviePass: A Brief History

MoviePass is a movie subscription service that lets you watch movies at participating theaters in the US for a recurring price. It makes sense for frequent movie watchers because after just a few visits per month, you’ll be saving money overall.

Backed by investors, this service, which works through their mobile app and the included MoviePass debit card, at one time garnered millions of users.

Following a series of issues, the service was shut down on September 14, 2019. However, MoviePass relaunched in limited areas in late 2022 and is expected to expand over time.

How MoviePass Works

The idea is simple: Fill out some information to sign up and order your prepaid debit card, pick a movie from the app, check in to the theater when you arrive, and then use your MoviePass card to pay for the ticket. The card is automatically ready to make a ticket purchase for the exact price of the movie.

Every movie purchased through the included debit card is “free” since you pay for the service. However, there’s a limit to how many movies you can watch, and some movies aren’t always 100 percent free.

Although MoviePass isn’t widely available, their website lists three general pricing tiers that the company says will vary depending on the market: $10, $20, and $30. Each level will get a certain number of credits that you can use towards movies each month. The number of tickets required for a particular movie likely depends on the time and day of the showing.

Why Did MoviePass Shut Down?

For users who used MoviePass all the time, it really did seem too good to be true. If you regularly watched a movie at the theaters every couple weeks, it could easily run over $30 by the end of the month. MoviePass cut this down to a fraction of the cost.

With millions of users, it’s clear that it was once a success. However, although it lasted several years after its 2011 launch, it did have quite a few hiccups along the way:

  • In 2011, shortly after its launch, MoviePass paused its operations because the theaters it planned on supporting didn’t want to support the service
  • In 2018, MoviePass needed a $5 million loan, so it shut down for a day
  • In 2018, over one million users cancelled their plan after the unlimited option was removed
  • In 2019, a class action lawsuit was filed against the company for users’ inability to use the service due to blackouts
  • In 2019, the service closed down, announcing that they’re “unable to predict if or when the MoviePass service will continue”
  • In 2020, its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, filed for bankruptcy

On top of those problems, some movies had additional fees associated with them, app issues caused problems for some users while selecting show times, IMAX movies weren’t included, and there were reports that user passwords were expiring to presumably prevent ticket purchases.

The concept behind MoviePass that made it popular wasn’t what killed it. If implemented correctly and if theaters shared some of their profits with the service, it could benefit everyone. But that just isn’t how it turned out.

Is MoviePass Coming Back?

In 2021, the company’s co-founder Stacy Spikes regained ownership and the new beta service relaunched in late 2022. However, instead of opening up everywhere, markets will be launched in waves, with the order determined by partners and the engagement level from the waitlist in each market.

The first few cities to have access include Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, and Tampa. You can submit your email through their website to be notified about the next supported area. There was a MoviePass waitlist you could join, but it lasted just a few days in late 2022.

It will reportedly work with all major theaters that accept major credit cards in the US. If you’re a previous user, you’ll get free bonus credits added to your account when you join.

MoviePass Alternatives

MoviePass appears to be rebooting, hopefully in a way that can limit or prevent the problems listed above. There are, however, some other options to consider if you’re looking for a good alternative, especially if you don’t want to wait for MoviePass to roll out where you are (if it ever will).

You can follow @MoviePass on Twitter for updates regarding where they’re launching next.

Something that made this service so unique was that they didn’t offer movies directly. They were just a third-party service that was tied into actual theaters. The closest thing to that are services from the theater.

AMC, for example, has what’s called AMC Stubs A-List. It’s a monthly movie membership like MoviePass that lets you watch up to three movies every week, either all on the same day or spread out throughout the week. IMAX and other formats are supported, and you also get 10 percent back on food/drink purchases.

Regal Unlimited offers unlimited movies and 10 percent off concessions. There are a few pricing options, including one for $18.99 /month that lets you watch unlimited movies at over 200 Regal theaters.

Cinemark Movie Club and Alamo Season Pass are similar, and local theaters sometimes have their own program as well, like a dollar or two off every ticket, free birthday movie tickets, and more.

If you like watching movies at home, you can purchase them without ever leaving your house and then watch them on your phone, tablet, or TV. There are several premium movie streaming services as well as website with completely legal, free movies.

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