MoviePass Adds Surge Pricing For Big Movies As Competitors Bring The Heat

Some things are simply too good to be true. With the latest wrinkle it's adding to its service, MoviePass is quickly becoming one of those things. Though it originally announced it would allow users to see a movie every day for the price of $10 a month, the months that have followed have brought caveats as MoviePass tries to recoup some of the money it's spending on tickets. [Update: Peak Pricing, as it's called, has begun to roll out.]

Among the changes the service has attempted is a revamped plan that offered only four movies a month, removing the option to see a film more than once, blocking access to certain movies, and changing lineups of theaters the service can be used in. However, the newest change is likely going to take money out of the pockets of customers.

According to Business Insider, MoviePass will be introducing surge pricing on certain films beginning in July. That means movies with a high demand will also require MoviePass customers to pay an extra fee--which starts at $2--for a ticket. This is troubling for a few reasons. First and foremost, while the charge could start at $2, MoviePass doesn't note a ceiling on the surge prices. Furthermore, it will be up to the service to determine which movies are "high demand." So if you enjoy seeing big movies on opening weekend, get ready to pay.

"At certain times for certain films--on opening weekend--there could be an additional charge for films," MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe explains to Business Insider.

To soften the blow of the new charges, MoviePass is also adding some new features, which will arrive in August--but watch out, those are also going to cost you extra money. The service is planning to add options to add premium options like IMAX and 3D by the end of August, for small fees. Additionally, MoviePass is expected to add an option that allows you to buy an additional ticket for a friend that's not a member of the service. According to Lowe, the second admission will cost "somewhere near the retail price of the ticket."

These changes comes as MoviePass begins facing even more competition in the movie ticket subscription space. Previously, Sinemia made a splash by allowing admission to any theater and any format--including IMAX and 4DX--but for fewer tickets in a month. Now, the AMC theater chain has also announced its own service, which offers three tickets a week to any screening at the chain's theaters.