With the home theater market quickly gaining on the theatrical experience, movie studios are doing whatever they can to draw people to the theater. 3D has been the biggest change in recent years but, these days, 3D in the home can be even better than the theater. So what’s next?
Paramount has an idea that’s pretty interesting. Starting with the upcoming release of Marc Forster‘s Brad Pitt zombie movie World War Z, fans will have an opportunity to buy a “Mega Ticket” to see the film. So, instead of $12 or whatever the film costs, you pay $50 and get to see the movie in 3D two days early with a small popcorn, an HD download of the film (when it hits Blu-ray), a pair of limited World War Z 3D glasses and a full-size, limited edition poster.
Five theaters are participating in this experiment on June 19, and tickets are on sale now. Get the links and analyze the move below.
The World War Z Mega Ticket promotion is taking place at the following five locations:
Los Angeles: Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 IMAX & RPX Houston: Edwards Greenway Grand Palace Stadium 24 & RPX San Diego: Edwards Mira Mesa Stadium 18 IMAX & RPX Atlanta: Regal Atlantic Station Stadium 16 IMAX & RPX Philadelphia: UA King of Prussia Stadium 16 & IMAX ----
This seems like a shitty value to me. Only people into limited edition 3D glasses and posters are really going to be into this. For most people, it's paying 50 bucks for what's likely around 30 bucks of value. (And that's just one ticket. Why does a couple or a family need multiple posters/3D glasses, popcorns.)
3. "I think theaters can get away with this." In response to Reply # 1
El Capitan charges 26 bucks for VIP seating (the middle of the theater), a popcorn, and a sode. That makes sense. Expecting everyone in the theater to pay twice that to buy a poster and two limited edition 3D glasses is kind of ridiculous.
If you're already offering a movie that you're not sure most people are going to see, charging more money for throw-ins they probably don't want doesn't make a ton of sense.
lovelyone80 Member since Dec 15th 2004 50065 posts
Fri Jun-14-13 11:41 AM
2. "ehh that value is what you make of it..." In response to Reply # 0
its not great BUT it's not that bad.
"you pay $50 and get to see the movie in 3D two days early with a small popcorn, an HD download of the film (when it hits Blu-ray), a pair of limited World War Z 3D glasses and a full-size, limited edition poster."
But it depends on area...let's take NYC
Movie: $18 (for 3D) Blue Ray: $25 (is this only the digital download? if so...then it's $15 off Itunes) Popcorn: $5
so there you are already over $40 add the glasses and poster, you are damn near $70. (poster being $10 and glasses being $15). 4
plus the added benefit to seeing the movie early.
I wish it was popcorn and soda. If's only the download, it's not that awesome.
This is really a single person's deal...no couple or family is gonna pay $100 for this. What would be smart is to have a deal for two people for $75 and it comes with a small popcorn and two drinks, one download, one poster and two glasses.
4. "It's a DVD download." In response to Reply # 2
Which means that you're essentially paying twice for a movie you don't know if you're even going to like. Paramount has a movie that they aren't sure that people want to see and charging 50 bucks so people can see it twice and collect a bunch of throw-ins.
I mean, how many people who really want to see the movie are going to be interesting in paying $15 dollars for cheap theater 3D glasses they'll probably never use again?
>Which means that you're essentially paying twice for a movie >you don't know if you're even going to like. Paramount has a >movie that they aren't sure that people want to see and >charging 50 bucks so people can see it twice and collect a >bunch of throw-ins. > >I mean, how many people who really want to see the movie are >going to be interesting in paying $15 dollars for cheap >theater 3D glasses they'll probably never use again? >
For fan boys and die hards
also seeing the movie days in advance They should bump it up a week I agree about the cost...$40 and the right movie Make the popcorn exchangeable for something else And they may have me
I'd sell the poster on eBay
~~~~ When you are born, you cry, and the world rejoices. Live so that when you die, you rejoice, and the world cries. ~~~~ You cannot hate people for their own good.
10. "Assigned seating has ruined me. " In response to Reply # 7
I can't deal with having to show up early to movies on opening weekend in order to get a good seat. I have a theater right next to me but I never go because a theater with assigned seating is a couple of Metro stops away.
9. "RE: Behold... the $50 MOVIE MEGATICKET! (Swipe)" In response to Reply # 0
>Paramount has an idea that’s pretty interesting. Starting with >the upcoming release of Marc Forster‘s Brad Pitt zombie movie >World War Z, fans will have an opportunity to buy a “Mega >Ticket” to see the film. So, instead of $12 or whatever the >film costs, you pay $50 and get to see the movie in 3D two >days early with a small popcorn, an HD download of the film >(when it hits Blu-ray), a pair of limited World War Z 3D >glasses and a full-size, limited edition poster.
BP was just here in Atlanta last week. That coulda been a $50 event.
What is seeing a film 2 days worth, besides Internet/message board stuntery?
Regal can eat a small popcorn's worth of dicks. My girl and I spend over $50 together, with assigned seats, full meals, and dranks.
12. "Not the worst idea, but probably limited in scope" In response to Reply # 0
I can see this working for a sure fire blockbuster. If they did something like this for, like, The Avengers, I can see a really big buy in. But whatever movie that's going to do the 'mega-ticket' thing has to be a sure fire hit, or it won't be worth the time or money
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
15. "And those are the films they won't do it for" In response to Reply # 12
Any surefire hit isn't going to kills its DVD sales when it knows it can make money already.
For a film like World War Z, it's trying to boost its initial box office by lumping in the DVD download into the original ticket price.
It's seems like one of those ideas that doesn't make sense because the films that it would work for don't need it and the films that need it, it won't work for.
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86675 posts
Sat Jun-15-13 12:58 PM
16. "Another point on this:" In response to Reply # 0
If they're trying to combat home theater and get people to come out to the cineplex as their chief goal...
.. don't people stay home because it's cheaper and easier? If someone didn't want to spend the money to see WWZ in theaters, why are they going to go with the allure of MORE money to spend? The only people who'd spend the more money are the people seeing it in theaters in the first place... and out of most of those, again, the price likely holds them back too.
17. "That was the author's thinking on it" In response to Reply # 16 Sat Jun-15-13 01:11 PM by SoulHonky
I think the studio was thinking more along the lines of "In order to get people to come out to the movies, we need to give them more." and "We might as well try to build the home sales into the ticket price to boost our initial box office." They, of course, didn't think that charging people more for stuff that they might not want doesn't make much sense.
The problem for studios is that they can't fit the main problem with the theater going experience, mainly the movie theater itself, unless they start building their own theaters and most don't want to invest that kind of money, even though I think it would be a very wise move and would be a way to rebuild brand recognition which is all but dead when it comes to the studios not named Pixar, Marvel, or Disney.
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86675 posts
Sat Jun-15-13 01:32 PM
18. "As someone who almost exclusively does matinees..." In response to Reply # 17 Sat Jun-15-13 01:33 PM by Frank Longo
I'd be more inclined to go to an evening show for that $17-20 if a poster and cool glasses are thrown in. At this point I avoid any screening that's more than $10-11 like the plague, really.
20. "they can't spring for the LARGE popcorn though?" In response to Reply # 0
i'm not sure how many people will do this for $50, but it's an interesting idea. and if this gets bad word-of-mouth two days before the real premiere this could REALLY backfire.
26. "Lol. I assume theater owners either insisted or" In response to Reply # 25
whoever came up with this didn't wanna upset theater owners. I've heard they make their money on concessions and not ticket sales. So the studio didn't want to take $ out out of the owners' pockets. Notice there's no SODA included in the deal. Or maybe the studio didn't want to have to split more $ with the theater owners.
Really though: no soda. Wtf? How 'bout some candy too? Shit.
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
Pass The Popcorn
