It is possible that one day an excellent narrative feature in the vein of The Big Short, BlackBerry, Dumb Money or Margin Call will be made about MoviePass, a company built––and destroyed––by several larger-than-life figures. For now, we have Muta’Ali’s documentary MoviePass, MovieCrash, which provides a broad overview of the deal everyone knew was too good to be true: a company that, for about a year, was so obsessed with subscriber growth that they offered customers the chance to see one movie per day for only $9.95 month.
Inspired by a series of Business Insider articles, MoviePass, MovieCrash features interviews with the company’s founders Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt along with other company––insiders including Mitch Lowe, the man who would ultimately take Spikes’ position. In a bit of good luck, Muta’Ali gets the interview with Lowe just weeks before he’s indicted on securities fraud alongside Ted Farnsworth,...
Inspired by a series of Business Insider articles, MoviePass, MovieCrash features interviews with the company’s founders Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt along with other company––insiders including Mitch Lowe, the man who would ultimately take Spikes’ position. In a bit of good luck, Muta’Ali gets the interview with Lowe just weeks before he’s indicted on securities fraud alongside Ted Farnsworth,...
- 3/11/2024
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Few questions have loomed larger over the film industry since the pandemic than “How do we save movie theaters?” The streaming boom kept us entertained through years of isolation and provided media companies with a massive influx of content, but no business model has come close to offering the potential profitability and cultural impact of old fashioned theatrical releases. Cultural phenomenons like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” have proven that there’s still a large market for great theatrical movies, but some of the country’s top theater and marketing executives stress that one-off successes haven’t solved the industry’s deeper problems.
“All of our businesses are in the attention business and we’re fighting for people’s leisure time. There’s TikTok and there’s gaming and there’s this and there’s that, but the magic word is habit,” MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes said on stage at SXSW on Saturday,...
“All of our businesses are in the attention business and we’re fighting for people’s leisure time. There’s TikTok and there’s gaming and there’s this and there’s that, but the magic word is habit,” MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes said on stage at SXSW on Saturday,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
If you're a movie lover -- specifically someone who loves going to the movies -- there's a more-than-decent chance that you got sucked into a MoviePass subscription at some point between 2015 and 2018. At one point, it was a deal that seemed too good to be true. Unlimited movies, all for as low as $10 per month depending on where you live in the country. Either way, it represented insane value for moviegoers and felt like a real moment of change in the industry. Then, it all flamed out in spectacular fashion in the summer of 2018.
MoviePass lost tens of millions of dollars. The business model was called into question, and its parent company ultimately had to file for bankruptcy. It was a disaster of epic proportions. But, it turns out, most of us aren't even aware of just how bad it was behind the scenes. A new documentary is here to...
MoviePass lost tens of millions of dollars. The business model was called into question, and its parent company ultimately had to file for bankruptcy. It was a disaster of epic proportions. But, it turns out, most of us aren't even aware of just how bad it was behind the scenes. A new documentary is here to...
- 3/10/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Say this for Mitch Lowe, the former CEO of MoviePass: He may have helped destroy a briefly beloved brand and he may be awaiting trial on fraud charges stemming from that destruction, but he sat down for interviews for Muta’Ali’s upcoming HBO documentary MoviePass, MovieCrash and he gives what might be my favorite quote illustrating the true nature of capitalism.
Discussing the wave of out-of-control spending and public exuberance that preceded MoviePass’ fall — MoviePass-branded helicopters were landing at Coachella and Dennis Rodman was being trotted out in red hats while the offices were running out of supplies and seven customer service reps were handling countless complaints — Lowe says, without any evident self-awareness: “I sensed a resentment by the MoviePass employees. Each individual has their various roles and not all roles get to party.”
“Not all roles get to party.”
Man, that’s good.
As for MoviePass, MovieCrash?...
Discussing the wave of out-of-control spending and public exuberance that preceded MoviePass’ fall — MoviePass-branded helicopters were landing at Coachella and Dennis Rodman was being trotted out in red hats while the offices were running out of supplies and seven customer service reps were handling countless complaints — Lowe says, without any evident self-awareness: “I sensed a resentment by the MoviePass employees. Each individual has their various roles and not all roles get to party.”
“Not all roles get to party.”
Man, that’s good.
As for MoviePass, MovieCrash?...
- 3/10/2024
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“It was a contributor to the specialty box office, and I hope it will be again,” says Laemmle CEO Greg Laemmle of MoviePass, the subscription service that unsurprisingly went bankrupt in early 2020 after offering a movie a day for ten bucks a month.
A co-founder Stacy Spikes, who was pushed out amid strategic differences with new owners, including the $9.95 plan, acquired the assets out of bankruptcy in 2021. He relaunched MoviePass yesterday after months of beta testing. The movie-a-day-plan, which left the service subsidizing most tickets, “was never going to work,” Sikes tells Deadline. AMC had actually threatened to sue, saying the plan wasn’t sustainable and set consumers up “for ultimate disappointment down the road.” Its bankruptcy filing listed more than 12,000 subscribers it may have owned money to.
The new MoviePass has four tiers from $10 for 1-3 movies, to a limited availability $40 plan with 30 movies a month. Each plan also...
A co-founder Stacy Spikes, who was pushed out amid strategic differences with new owners, including the $9.95 plan, acquired the assets out of bankruptcy in 2021. He relaunched MoviePass yesterday after months of beta testing. The movie-a-day-plan, which left the service subsidizing most tickets, “was never going to work,” Sikes tells Deadline. AMC had actually threatened to sue, saying the plan wasn’t sustainable and set consumers up “for ultimate disappointment down the road.” Its bankruptcy filing listed more than 12,000 subscribers it may have owned money to.
The new MoviePass has four tiers from $10 for 1-3 movies, to a limited availability $40 plan with 30 movies a month. Each plan also...
- 5/26/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Just in time for the summer movie season, the revived version of MoviePass is now available for anyone in the U.S. to sign up, following a private beta the past few months. Kicking off with subscription plans starting at $10 a month (or $20 for those in the NYC and LA area), it’s available to use at any theater that accepts debit cards, which amounts to more than 4,000 locations nationwide.
The four tiered plans use a credit-based system to offer different options for the total amount of films one can screen per month, with the restriction of a maximum of one 2D screening per day. One can cancel or change their plan at any time, and you can have up to 2 months of unused credits in your account. For example: if your plan is for 34 credits per month, you can have up to 68 credits in your account at one time.
The four tiered plans use a credit-based system to offer different options for the total amount of films one can screen per month, with the restriction of a maximum of one 2D screening per day. One can cancel or change their plan at any time, and you can have up to 2 months of unused credits in your account. For example: if your plan is for 34 credits per month, you can have up to 68 credits in your account at one time.
- 5/26/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The service was acquired by its co-founder in 2020 after a bankruptcy filing.
Cinema subscription service MoviePass is being made available across the US on the eve of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The controversial service had a limited beta relaunch last September.
The company is offering four tiered plans and says consumers will be able use their subscriptions to buy tickets at more than 4,000 locations nationwide. The plans range in price from $10 to $40 a month and give subscribers credits whose value varies based on demand, time of day and day of the week. Basic plan subscribers will be able to...
Cinema subscription service MoviePass is being made available across the US on the eve of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The controversial service had a limited beta relaunch last September.
The company is offering four tiered plans and says consumers will be able use their subscriptions to buy tickets at more than 4,000 locations nationwide. The plans range in price from $10 to $40 a month and give subscribers credits whose value varies based on demand, time of day and day of the week. Basic plan subscribers will be able to...
- 5/26/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
MoviePass is officially back. No, it's not the summer of 2017. It is, in fact, 2023 and the movie ticket subscription service has returned from the dead after crashing and burning in spectacular fashion several years ago. Now, as the industry has -- slowly but surely -- recovered from the pandemic, the company has returned after a seemingly successful several-months-long beta test. So, moviegoers who wish to give this thing a test run over Memorial Day weekend can do precisely that.
5.25.23 pic.twitter.com/b2Ni8x2PIn
— MoviePass (@MoviePass) May 19, 2023
The public rollout was teased on social media several says ago and now it's been made official. Anyone can subscribe to the new MoviePass, but it will be structured very differently than the $10 per month all-you-can-movie price that made the service famous in the first place. Plans will start at $10, but there are four tiers and none of them are unlimited.
5.25.23 pic.twitter.com/b2Ni8x2PIn
— MoviePass (@MoviePass) May 19, 2023
The public rollout was teased on social media several says ago and now it's been made official. Anyone can subscribe to the new MoviePass, but it will be structured very differently than the $10 per month all-you-can-movie price that made the service famous in the first place. Plans will start at $10, but there are four tiers and none of them are unlimited.
- 5/25/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
MoviePass, after emerging from bankruptcy under new ownership, is launching its movie-theater subscription service nationwide ahead of the Memorial Day weekend.
The service lets MoviePass members choose from more than 4,000 theater locations across the U.S., including those operated by AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas and Cinemark.
However, the reincarnated MoviePass is a far cry from the too-good-to-be-true $9.95-per-month subscription for one movie per day that the company had offered in its previous life. Plans start at $10/month for 1-3 movies per month, ranging up to $40/month for up to 30. The new MoviePass uses a credit-based system to offer different options for the total amount of films a subscriber can see each month (see plan details below).
MoviePass lists participating theaters at this link. According to a company rep, members can attend movies at any theater that accepts Mastercard. For theaters that partner directly with MoviePass, the service taps into the...
The service lets MoviePass members choose from more than 4,000 theater locations across the U.S., including those operated by AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas and Cinemark.
However, the reincarnated MoviePass is a far cry from the too-good-to-be-true $9.95-per-month subscription for one movie per day that the company had offered in its previous life. Plans start at $10/month for 1-3 movies per month, ranging up to $40/month for up to 30. The new MoviePass uses a credit-based system to offer different options for the total amount of films a subscriber can see each month (see plan details below).
MoviePass lists participating theaters at this link. According to a company rep, members can attend movies at any theater that accepts Mastercard. For theaters that partner directly with MoviePass, the service taps into the...
- 5/25/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
MoviePass, a rebooted version of the app that once burned through cash promising theatergoers all-you-can-watch features for a single fee, says it’s now going to expand nationwide again during the busy box office Memorial Day frame.
In its latest incarnation, the firm, run by Stacy Spikes, has subscription plans that range from $10 a month (for one to three movies) as well as $40 a month (for 30 movies a month). And the company claims that moviegoers can use the app at 4,000 locations. “By opening up MoviePass to film lovers nationwide, we are expanding our support of the movie theater industry by helping drive traffic to all theaters during the critical summer season,” stated Spikes.
In January, the company said it raised funding from a number of financiers led by venture firm Animoca Brands, expanded to nine U.S. markets and inked partnerships with chains including B&b Theatres, Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas and Landmark Theatres.
In its latest incarnation, the firm, run by Stacy Spikes, has subscription plans that range from $10 a month (for one to three movies) as well as $40 a month (for 30 movies a month). And the company claims that moviegoers can use the app at 4,000 locations. “By opening up MoviePass to film lovers nationwide, we are expanding our support of the movie theater industry by helping drive traffic to all theaters during the critical summer season,” stated Spikes.
In January, the company said it raised funding from a number of financiers led by venture firm Animoca Brands, expanded to nine U.S. markets and inked partnerships with chains including B&b Theatres, Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas and Landmark Theatres.
- 5/25/2023
- by Erik Hayden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Update: According to an interview conducted with Business Insider, Moviepass is looking to launch this summer for all users.
For a certain breed of movie lover, Moviepass was, for a time, a true blessing -- before it became something of a curse. The movie theater subscription service rocked the industry by introducing the concept of unlimited moviegoing for a monthly fee (a rather low fee at that) to the general public. But, as we discovered, that business model had major issues, primarily that it was wildly un-profitable, and Moviepass came crashing to the ground several years ago. Well, much like Palpatine in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," somehow, Moviepass has returned. The company has opened up its beta, letting many new users sign up for the revamped version of the service.
A special announcement for everyone on the MoviePass waitlist from our CEO @stacyspikes pic.twitter.com/BmfHk6IS...
For a certain breed of movie lover, Moviepass was, for a time, a true blessing -- before it became something of a curse. The movie theater subscription service rocked the industry by introducing the concept of unlimited moviegoing for a monthly fee (a rather low fee at that) to the general public. But, as we discovered, that business model had major issues, primarily that it was wildly un-profitable, and Moviepass came crashing to the ground several years ago. Well, much like Palpatine in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," somehow, Moviepass has returned. The company has opened up its beta, letting many new users sign up for the revamped version of the service.
A special announcement for everyone on the MoviePass waitlist from our CEO @stacyspikes pic.twitter.com/BmfHk6IS...
- 1/25/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Can MoviePass give movie theaters an even bigger boost on the second go-around? The newly rejuvenated subscription-based program is attempting a slow-rolling comeback.
They recently nabbed additional seed funding from Animoca Brands, a Hong Kong-based game software, blockchain and venture capital company. The seed round also included Claritas Capital, Emerald Plus, Gaingels, Harlem Capital, Pko Vc and Sandhill Angels. More financing rounds are expected at the end of 2023 or in 2024.
“10 a month for unlimited movies at any participating theater was always doomed,” co-founder, former owner and now current CEO Stacy Spikes argued during a conversation with TheWrap.
Spikes, whose book “Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider” debuts on Jan. 24, stated that “unless you own the theaters, you need some kind of variable pricing. One thing I can tell you is that putting the price below a single ticket just wasn’t logical.”
Also Read:
Sundance 2023 Portrait Gallery: Jonathan Majors,...
They recently nabbed additional seed funding from Animoca Brands, a Hong Kong-based game software, blockchain and venture capital company. The seed round also included Claritas Capital, Emerald Plus, Gaingels, Harlem Capital, Pko Vc and Sandhill Angels. More financing rounds are expected at the end of 2023 or in 2024.
“10 a month for unlimited movies at any participating theater was always doomed,” co-founder, former owner and now current CEO Stacy Spikes argued during a conversation with TheWrap.
Spikes, whose book “Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider” debuts on Jan. 24, stated that “unless you own the theaters, you need some kind of variable pricing. One thing I can tell you is that putting the price below a single ticket just wasn’t logical.”
Also Read:
Sundance 2023 Portrait Gallery: Jonathan Majors,...
- 1/23/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
MoviePass Inc. announced it has raised its seed financing led by Animoca Brands, a Hong Kong-based game software, blockchain and venture capital company. The seed round also includes participation from Claritas Capital, Emerald Plus, Gaingels, Harlem Capital, Pko Vc and Sandhill Angels. As part of the deal, Animoca Brands’ executive chairman and co-founder Yat Siu will join the board of MoviePass, which is a subscription movie-going service.
MoviePass declined to state how much money it had raised as part of the seed financing round. MoviePass co-founder Stacy Spikes, who bought back the company in late 2021, says he plans to do another round of financing at the end of 2023 or in 2024. By that point, he expects the theatrical box office will have rebounded from the pandemic. At this point, movie theaters are still struggling to fill seats post-covid and studios have released fewer films.
“The markets are crazy, and we didn...
MoviePass declined to state how much money it had raised as part of the seed financing round. MoviePass co-founder Stacy Spikes, who bought back the company in late 2021, says he plans to do another round of financing at the end of 2023 or in 2024. By that point, he expects the theatrical box office will have rebounded from the pandemic. At this point, movie theaters are still struggling to fill seats post-covid and studios have released fewer films.
“The markets are crazy, and we didn...
- 1/12/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Former MoviePass CEOs Ted Farnsworth and Mitch Lowe and the ticketing app’s former parent company Helios & Matheson have been charged by the Department of Justice in a securities fraud case Friday, alleging that the executives “engaged in a scheme to defraud investors” and lied about MoviePass’ operations in order to inflate the parent company’s stock price and attract new investors.
Farnsworth and Lowe are each charged with one count of securities fraud and three counts of wire fraud. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
Farnsworth additionally surrendered himself to authorities in Washington D.C. on Friday following the charges, IndieWire has learned.
According to court documents, the Department of Justice indictment says Farnsworth and Lowe falsely claimed that MoviePass’ 9.95 “unlimited” plan – in which new subscribers could see unlimited movies in theaters with no blackout dates for a flat monthly fee – was tested,...
Farnsworth and Lowe are each charged with one count of securities fraud and three counts of wire fraud. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
Farnsworth additionally surrendered himself to authorities in Washington D.C. on Friday following the charges, IndieWire has learned.
According to court documents, the Department of Justice indictment says Farnsworth and Lowe falsely claimed that MoviePass’ 9.95 “unlimited” plan – in which new subscribers could see unlimited movies in theaters with no blackout dates for a flat monthly fee – was tested,...
- 11/4/2022
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has sued former top execs at MoviePass and its parent company, Helios + Matheson, for fraud.
A complaint filed this week with the U.S. District Court for New York’s southern district (read it here) centers on Ted Farnsworth and Mitch Lowe. They “intentionally and repeatedly disseminated to the public materially false or misleading statements concerning MoviePass and key aspects of MoviePass’s business model,” the suit says. The duo allegedly misled investors by suggesting the company could profit by offering all-you-can eat moviegoing for just 9.95 a month.
The digital movie ticketing firm sought to popularize fixed-price ticket buying, a tool widely used in many international markets, but ran afoul of major exhibitors and then its customers after deciding to offer an unsustainable monthly price. After slashing the monthly price from its previous levels of 40 to 50 a month, the company still had to fulfill customer orders for tickets.
A complaint filed this week with the U.S. District Court for New York’s southern district (read it here) centers on Ted Farnsworth and Mitch Lowe. They “intentionally and repeatedly disseminated to the public materially false or misleading statements concerning MoviePass and key aspects of MoviePass’s business model,” the suit says. The duo allegedly misled investors by suggesting the company could profit by offering all-you-can eat moviegoing for just 9.95 a month.
The digital movie ticketing firm sought to popularize fixed-price ticket buying, a tool widely used in many international markets, but ran afoul of major exhibitors and then its customers after deciding to offer an unsustainable monthly price. After slashing the monthly price from its previous levels of 40 to 50 a month, the company still had to fulfill customer orders for tickets.
- 9/27/2022
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
As MoviePass works toward a relaunch under new leadership, the SEC is taking action against three former execs for alleged federal securities law violations in connection with the previous iteration of the service.
The SEC on Monday filed a complaint against Ted Farnsworth, Mitch Lowe and Khalid Itum in New York federal court. Farnsworth was CEO of Helios and Matheson Analytics, which acquired MoviePass in 2017, Lowe was MoviePass’ CEO, and Itum was a business development exec for the service.
“From August 2017 to at least March 2019, Farnsworth and Lowe, the CEOs of Hmny and MoviePass, respectively, intentionally and repeatedly disseminated to the public materially false or misleading statements concerning MoviePass and key aspects of MoviePass’s business model,” states the complaint, which is embedded below.
The SEC alleges the execs lied about how MoviePass could become profitable and then, when faced with dubious finances,...
As MoviePass works toward a relaunch under new leadership, the SEC is taking action against three former execs for alleged federal securities law violations in connection with the previous iteration of the service.
The SEC on Monday filed a complaint against Ted Farnsworth, Mitch Lowe and Khalid Itum in New York federal court. Farnsworth was CEO of Helios and Matheson Analytics, which acquired MoviePass in 2017, Lowe was MoviePass’ CEO, and Itum was a business development exec for the service.
“From August 2017 to at least March 2019, Farnsworth and Lowe, the CEOs of Hmny and MoviePass, respectively, intentionally and repeatedly disseminated to the public materially false or misleading statements concerning MoviePass and key aspects of MoviePass’s business model,” states the complaint, which is embedded below.
The SEC alleges the execs lied about how MoviePass could become profitable and then, when faced with dubious finances,...
- 9/27/2022
- by Ashley Cullins
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The former MoviePass leadership is not getting a pass on fraud charges.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against former MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, the former CEO of MoviePass’ parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics (Hmny), for allegedly misleading investors under the 9.99 per month moviegoing subscription.
As reported by Insider, the SEC filing claimed Lowe and Farnsworth “devised fraudulent tactics” to hide information and “falsely and misleadingly” led the public to believe their site was unsuccessful in subscribers to save money.
“Faced with debilitating negative cash flows — rather than tell the public the truth — Farnsworth and Lowe devised fraudulent tactics to prevent MoviePass’s heavy users from using the service, and falsely and misleadingly informed the public that usage had declined naturally or due to measures the company had employed to combat subscribers’ purported violations of MoviePass’s terms and conditions of service,” the complaint stated.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against former MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, the former CEO of MoviePass’ parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics (Hmny), for allegedly misleading investors under the 9.99 per month moviegoing subscription.
As reported by Insider, the SEC filing claimed Lowe and Farnsworth “devised fraudulent tactics” to hide information and “falsely and misleadingly” led the public to believe their site was unsuccessful in subscribers to save money.
“Faced with debilitating negative cash flows — rather than tell the public the truth — Farnsworth and Lowe devised fraudulent tactics to prevent MoviePass’s heavy users from using the service, and falsely and misleadingly informed the public that usage had declined naturally or due to measures the company had employed to combat subscribers’ purported violations of MoviePass’s terms and conditions of service,” the complaint stated.
- 9/27/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
By slashing prices, Mitch Lowe transformed MoviePass into a supernova.
The ticketing service, which had ambitions to become the Netflix of moviegoing, had languished for years until Lowe took the reins in 2017 as Helios and Matheson, an analytics firm, purchased a controlling stake. At the same time, Lowe announced that for a monthly fee of 9.95, users could now watch a movie-a-day in cinemas — less than the cost of a single ticket in major cities like New York and Los Angeles. It was an offer that was too good to refuse, pushing MoviePass to 2 million customers in roughly six months. But it was also a risky proposition, one that caused the company to burn through tens of millions of dollars and collapse in spectacular fashion just two years later.
“It truly was embarrassing and hurtful,” says Lowe. “I tried as hard as I could, but I should have tried harder. I should have been more thoughtful,...
The ticketing service, which had ambitions to become the Netflix of moviegoing, had languished for years until Lowe took the reins in 2017 as Helios and Matheson, an analytics firm, purchased a controlling stake. At the same time, Lowe announced that for a monthly fee of 9.95, users could now watch a movie-a-day in cinemas — less than the cost of a single ticket in major cities like New York and Los Angeles. It was an offer that was too good to refuse, pushing MoviePass to 2 million customers in roughly six months. But it was also a risky proposition, one that caused the company to burn through tens of millions of dollars and collapse in spectacular fashion just two years later.
“It truly was embarrassing and hurtful,” says Lowe. “I tried as hard as I could, but I should have tried harder. I should have been more thoughtful,...
- 9/14/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
MoviePass 2.0 owner (and original co-founder) Stacy Spikes is feeling as overwhelmed as his servers were on Thursday morning.
The new MoviePass waitlist opened yesterday at 9 a.m. By 9:05, 30,000 people signed up, crashing the website for nearly three hours. By 9 a.m. this morning, the reconnected waitlist had 463,000 signups. “Holy moly!” is how Spikes put it to IndieWire.
Spikes estimated perhaps 50,000 or 100,000 Day-1 signups, so he isn’t sweating the server meltdown. “It’s a good problem to have,” he said of the mad rush. “We are drinking from the firehose.”
The waitlist is open until Monday. A week later, an indeterminate number of those who signed up will be converted to actual users of MoviePass 2.0 (as Spikes is calling his vision’s resurrection). Spikes said he has “no idea” how many people that will be — not while his head is still spinning from demand — but he’s vowed to slow-play MoviePass this time.
The new MoviePass waitlist opened yesterday at 9 a.m. By 9:05, 30,000 people signed up, crashing the website for nearly three hours. By 9 a.m. this morning, the reconnected waitlist had 463,000 signups. “Holy moly!” is how Spikes put it to IndieWire.
Spikes estimated perhaps 50,000 or 100,000 Day-1 signups, so he isn’t sweating the server meltdown. “It’s a good problem to have,” he said of the mad rush. “We are drinking from the firehose.”
The waitlist is open until Monday. A week later, an indeterminate number of those who signed up will be converted to actual users of MoviePass 2.0 (as Spikes is calling his vision’s resurrection). Spikes said he has “no idea” how many people that will be — not while his head is still spinning from demand — but he’s vowed to slow-play MoviePass this time.
- 8/26/2022
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
MoviePass is officially back, although the first day of registration for its new beta model was accompanied by one of the company’s trademark stumbling blocks.
The service, which famously folded in 2018 after its business model that allowed customers to see unlimited movies for 9.99 a month proved unsustainable, is back with a tiered pricing system. Moviegoers who sign up for the newly relaunched service can pay either 10, 20, or 30 a month for MoviePass, though none of the plans allow for unlimited viewings. While the news of MoviePass’ return excited many fans, doubters wondered if that lack of an unlimited option would dampen enthusiasm.
As it turns out, that was not the case. MoviePass allowed users to begin signing up for its waitlist on Thursday ahead of its fall launch, and the website almost instantly crashed due to a high volume of users. Many fans who visited the website were met with an error message,...
The service, which famously folded in 2018 after its business model that allowed customers to see unlimited movies for 9.99 a month proved unsustainable, is back with a tiered pricing system. Moviegoers who sign up for the newly relaunched service can pay either 10, 20, or 30 a month for MoviePass, though none of the plans allow for unlimited viewings. While the news of MoviePass’ return excited many fans, doubters wondered if that lack of an unlimited option would dampen enthusiasm.
As it turns out, that was not the case. MoviePass allowed users to begin signing up for its waitlist on Thursday ahead of its fall launch, and the website almost instantly crashed due to a high volume of users. Many fans who visited the website were met with an error message,...
- 8/25/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Membership waitlist opens on August 25.
Cinema subscription service MoviePass has set its relaunch date and announced pricing tiers.
The service is returning after its previous iteration imploded when former owner Helios and Matheson offered low monthly costs and was unable to sustain demand, eventually filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in January 2020.
CEO and original co-founder Stacy Spikes said in a message emailed to potential members on Tuesday (August 23) that the service would return on or around September 5. Spikes was fired in 2018 after he disputed the low monthly cost and subsequently acquired MoviePass at a bankruptcy auction late last year.
How...
Cinema subscription service MoviePass has set its relaunch date and announced pricing tiers.
The service is returning after its previous iteration imploded when former owner Helios and Matheson offered low monthly costs and was unable to sustain demand, eventually filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in January 2020.
CEO and original co-founder Stacy Spikes said in a message emailed to potential members on Tuesday (August 23) that the service would return on or around September 5. Spikes was fired in 2018 after he disputed the low monthly cost and subsequently acquired MoviePass at a bankruptcy auction late last year.
How...
- 8/23/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Frequent movie-going sickos, our time has come once again! On August 22, details surrounding the comeback of MoviePass were finally revealed after months of teasing and speculation. According to a statement sent by cofounder and CEO Stacy Spikes, the official relaunch is set to begin on Labor Day, this upcoming September 5.
"I want to thank everyone for their support in helping us get here," Spikes wrote. "If you were a 2012 Og or caught the wave towards the end, we look forward to welcoming you back."
The subscription-based ticketing company had a tumultuous rise and fall towards the end of 2019, but Spikes has frequently promised that the mistakes previously made would not be repeated. This promise was reiterated in this newest statement, particularly claiming that the service went downhill after it was purchased by analytics firm Helios and Matheson in 2017. "For those of you who don't know, MoviePass was sold back in...
"I want to thank everyone for their support in helping us get here," Spikes wrote. "If you were a 2012 Og or caught the wave towards the end, we look forward to welcoming you back."
The subscription-based ticketing company had a tumultuous rise and fall towards the end of 2019, but Spikes has frequently promised that the mistakes previously made would not be repeated. This promise was reiterated in this newest statement, particularly claiming that the service went downhill after it was purchased by analytics firm Helios and Matheson in 2017. "For those of you who don't know, MoviePass was sold back in...
- 8/22/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
As foretold in a very peculiar but potentially promising presentation late last year, MoviePass is now officially returning. Co-founder/CEO Stacy Spikes, who took back control of the company, announced the news today that the theater-going subscription service would be returning starting Labor Day weekend, specifically on September 5.
Beginning this Thursday, August 25 at 9am Et, the official website will open a waitlist where users can go to sign up through August 30. The first applicants will be notified on Labor Day if they are accepted into the beta version of the program, which will offer subscription ranges, including 10, 20 or 30 a month depending on where you live, Business Insider reports.
There won’t be an unlimited viewing option––perhaps a smart first call considering the company’s past flame-out––and so far they have partnerships with about 25 of U.S. theaters. With the chains copying the MoviePass model for themselves since its initial shuttering,...
Beginning this Thursday, August 25 at 9am Et, the official website will open a waitlist where users can go to sign up through August 30. The first applicants will be notified on Labor Day if they are accepted into the beta version of the program, which will offer subscription ranges, including 10, 20 or 30 a month depending on where you live, Business Insider reports.
There won’t be an unlimited viewing option––perhaps a smart first call considering the company’s past flame-out––and so far they have partnerships with about 25 of U.S. theaters. With the chains copying the MoviePass model for themselves since its initial shuttering,...
- 8/22/2022
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
MoviePass is getting another chance. It’s been three years since the subscription theatergoing service was liquidated in bankruptcy, but over Labor Day weekend it will return just in time for the fall movie season.
Starting August 25, with a waitlist posted at 9 a.m. Et, cinephiles can sign up for the beta version of the new model. The waitlist will only be open for five days, with free registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants will be notified on Labor Day if they’re accepted for one of three subscription price tiers, with 10, 20, and 30 options.
Each subscription option provides credits to cash in each month to see movies, but unlike MoviePass in its 9.99-per-month glory days, there is no option for unlimited viewing. That model inspired top movie chain AMC Theatres to announce in August 2017 that it would stop participating in the program. In a press release explaining the move,...
Starting August 25, with a waitlist posted at 9 a.m. Et, cinephiles can sign up for the beta version of the new model. The waitlist will only be open for five days, with free registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants will be notified on Labor Day if they’re accepted for one of three subscription price tiers, with 10, 20, and 30 options.
Each subscription option provides credits to cash in each month to see movies, but unlike MoviePass in its 9.99-per-month glory days, there is no option for unlimited viewing. That model inspired top movie chain AMC Theatres to announce in August 2017 that it would stop participating in the program. In a press release explaining the move,...
- 8/22/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
MoviePass, the beleaguered moviegoing subscription service that collapsed in spectacular fashion, is returning at the end of the summer.
The subsidized ticketing subscription service will relaunch in beta form on Labor Day, though potential users will have to first join a waitlist. Starting on Thursday at 9 a.m. Et, MoviePass will allow customers to sign up on its website for a standby list, which will be open for five days. Anyone who makes the cut will be notified on Sept. 5.
MoviePass co-founder Stacy Spikes announced in November 2021 that he bought the company back after its parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics went bankrupt. In a press conference last February touting the return of MoviePass, Spikes gave few details other than teasing a monthly credit system — a la the fitness-based ClassPass — to watch movies on the big screen.
As first reported by Business Insider, prices will vary based on the customer...
The subsidized ticketing subscription service will relaunch in beta form on Labor Day, though potential users will have to first join a waitlist. Starting on Thursday at 9 a.m. Et, MoviePass will allow customers to sign up on its website for a standby list, which will be open for five days. Anyone who makes the cut will be notified on Sept. 5.
MoviePass co-founder Stacy Spikes announced in November 2021 that he bought the company back after its parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics went bankrupt. In a press conference last February touting the return of MoviePass, Spikes gave few details other than teasing a monthly credit system — a la the fitness-based ClassPass — to watch movies on the big screen.
As first reported by Business Insider, prices will vary based on the customer...
- 8/22/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
MoviePass is coming back.
The service that allows film fans to see numerous movies in theaters for a set fee will return on Labor Day, TheWrap has confirmed.
On Monday, a countdown clock for signups appeared on the services’ website, with the waistlist opening up on Aug. 25 at 9 a.m. Et. It will remain open until Aug. 29.
MoviePass will launch in Beta form “on or around” Labor Day (Sept. 5), read a message on the service’s website.
According to the company’s website, at relaunch, there will be three pricing tiers. “Prices will vary depending on each market but the general prices will be 10, 20, 30,” read a comment in the Faq section. “Each level will get a certain amount of credits to be able to use towards movies each month.”
MoviePass said on its website that its new service will feature all major theaters that accept major credit cards in the U.
The service that allows film fans to see numerous movies in theaters for a set fee will return on Labor Day, TheWrap has confirmed.
On Monday, a countdown clock for signups appeared on the services’ website, with the waistlist opening up on Aug. 25 at 9 a.m. Et. It will remain open until Aug. 29.
MoviePass will launch in Beta form “on or around” Labor Day (Sept. 5), read a message on the service’s website.
According to the company’s website, at relaunch, there will be three pricing tiers. “Prices will vary depending on each market but the general prices will be 10, 20, 30,” read a comment in the Faq section. “Each level will get a certain amount of credits to be able to use towards movies each month.”
MoviePass said on its website that its new service will feature all major theaters that accept major credit cards in the U.
- 8/22/2022
- by Jolie Lash
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Sharese Bullock-Bailey has been appointed as Festival Director and the first-ever Chief Innovation Officer at Urbanworld, which showcases narrative features, documentaries, short films, web originals, spotlight screenings, conversations and music performances that feature storytellers of color, including Black, Indigenous and Latinx artists.
In her new roles, Bullock-Bailey will oversee the brand, lead all key components of annual Festival planning and execution, expand Urbanworld Innovation, drive strategy and optimize assets and experiences, building upon current and potential partnerships as the festival enters its next 25 years.
“We are thrilled to have Sharese Bullock-Bailey join the Urbanworld family as the Festival Director and first-ever Chief Innovation Officer,” said Urbanworld founder Stacy Spikes. “She brings a rare blend of talents, expertise and leadership to our team as we continue to expand our impact in storytelling, technology and game-changing culture.”
“Urbanworld provides a legacy and blueprint for the future of storytelling, technology and community...
In her new roles, Bullock-Bailey will oversee the brand, lead all key components of annual Festival planning and execution, expand Urbanworld Innovation, drive strategy and optimize assets and experiences, building upon current and potential partnerships as the festival enters its next 25 years.
“We are thrilled to have Sharese Bullock-Bailey join the Urbanworld family as the Festival Director and first-ever Chief Innovation Officer,” said Urbanworld founder Stacy Spikes. “She brings a rare blend of talents, expertise and leadership to our team as we continue to expand our impact in storytelling, technology and game-changing culture.”
“Urbanworld provides a legacy and blueprint for the future of storytelling, technology and community...
- 4/7/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The movie-loving world got some interesting and pretty unexpected news last week when it was revealed that MoviePass is coming back this summer. For those who don't recall, the movie subscription service that allowed users to see up to one movie a day for $10 a month in many markets (with more expensive markets like New York City costing more) had a meteoric rise and flamed out in truly dramatic fashion just a couple of years back. Now, it's looking to re-emerge with an overhaul and some fancy new features.
CEO Stacy Spikes recently made the reveal during a press conference and laid...
The post MoviePass Might Be Just What The Box Office Needs Right Now appeared first on /Film.
CEO Stacy Spikes recently made the reveal during a press conference and laid...
The post MoviePass Might Be Just What The Box Office Needs Right Now appeared first on /Film.
- 2/15/2022
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
MoviePass relaunched yesterday with a 40-minute virtual event light on specifics. Its original $9.99/month unlimited plan ignited the late-2017 moviegoing world; five months later it proved to good to be true (and possibly fraudulent). So when founder and CEO Stacy Spikes — who, by his own account, was fired in January 2018 for objecting to the unsustainable unlimited plan — took the stage to unveil the new MoviePass, the question was how this plan would be different and could he quell the skepticism of previous customers who, as Spikes acknowledged, lost money when Moviepass went belly-up in 2018.
Spikes described a sliding and transferable credit system and a “web 3.0” app that empowered theaters and studios to directly market and lure costumers with discounted tickets and special promotions — but how these pieces fit together to form a subscription plan was unclear.
I liked the old version of MoviePass where I gave you $5 a month and...
Spikes described a sliding and transferable credit system and a “web 3.0” app that empowered theaters and studios to directly market and lure costumers with discounted tickets and special promotions — but how these pieces fit together to form a subscription plan was unclear.
I liked the old version of MoviePass where I gave you $5 a month and...
- 2/12/2022
- by Chris O'Falt and Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Here's a few words you never thought you'd see again: MoviePass is alive. That's right, folks. Your favorite unsustainable movie company has revealed that they plan to relaunch this summer after a spectacular crash-and-burn in 2019 that was akin to a beautiful car wreck.
Today, CEO Stacy Spikes unveiled the relaunch plans during a press conference akin to an Apple event. During the event, he explained the changes that will be implemented in the new version of the project, including a credits system that would allow users to use credits to purchase movie tickets for both themselves and a guest. Those credits will roll...
The post MoviePass, Your Favorite Unsustainable Movie Company, is Relaunching This Summer appeared first on /Film.
Today, CEO Stacy Spikes unveiled the relaunch plans during a press conference akin to an Apple event. During the event, he explained the changes that will be implemented in the new version of the project, including a credits system that would allow users to use credits to purchase movie tickets for both themselves and a guest. Those credits will roll...
The post MoviePass, Your Favorite Unsustainable Movie Company, is Relaunching This Summer appeared first on /Film.
- 2/10/2022
- by Lex Briscuso
- Slash Film
MoviePass, dead for two years, is set to return this summer with a different business model and other changes that co-founder Stacy Spikes says will help ensure MoviePass 2.0 doesn’t suffer the same fate as the first iteration and could help breathe life into a struggling exhibition sector. In a Thursday presentation, Spikes offered the first peek of what the movie ticket subscription service will look like when it relaunches this summer.
First things first: Spikes offered no specifics on pricing, aside from the fact that the new service will operate on a tiered model. Definitely don’t expect to get an all-you-can-watch plan for $9.99, which Spikes has long been critical of. The new MoviePass will allow users to bring a friend, roll over unused credits, transact with virtual currency, and trade unused credits.
“The tiered plans are going to be able to allow you to come in at a...
First things first: Spikes offered no specifics on pricing, aside from the fact that the new service will operate on a tiered model. Definitely don’t expect to get an all-you-can-watch plan for $9.99, which Spikes has long been critical of. The new MoviePass will allow users to bring a friend, roll over unused credits, transact with virtual currency, and trade unused credits.
“The tiered plans are going to be able to allow you to come in at a...
- 2/10/2022
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
MoviePass plans to relaunch its movie ticketing subscription service and app starting this summer, and the company intends to offer multiple tiered pricing plans as well as new functionality, including the ability to bring friends to movies via your subscription.
The new MoviePass will have a virtual currency called “credits” that aim to create a marketplace for theaters to directly entice consumers to come to their theaters and offer special deals or promotions. MoviePass aims to target independent and art house theater chains and provide users the flexibility to visit multiple theaters through the plan, and they’re offering any theater circuit that wishes to partner with MoviePass the ability to do so for free.
These credits will also be transferable and will rollover between months. No specific price points were unveiled as part of the event, however.
Stacy Spikes, the original co-founder of the company who now bought MoviePass out of bankruptcy,...
The new MoviePass will have a virtual currency called “credits” that aim to create a marketplace for theaters to directly entice consumers to come to their theaters and offer special deals or promotions. MoviePass aims to target independent and art house theater chains and provide users the flexibility to visit multiple theaters through the plan, and they’re offering any theater circuit that wishes to partner with MoviePass the ability to do so for free.
These credits will also be transferable and will rollover between months. No specific price points were unveiled as part of the event, however.
Stacy Spikes, the original co-founder of the company who now bought MoviePass out of bankruptcy,...
- 2/10/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
With an image of a phoenix emblazoned on a screen behind him, Stacy Spikes, the founder of MoviePass, announced on Thursday that the controversial and defunct service will relaunch this summer. Spikes, a former film marketing executive and producer, who founded the ticketing service in 2011 before getting pushed out of the company after it was acquired by analytics firm Helios and Matheson in 2018, said that MoviePass is being reimagined as a cooperative. It will also use virtual currency and tiered pricing plans.
“We want to rebuild MoviePass as a company that’s built by its fanbase,” Spikes said in a presentation at New York City’s Lincoln Center. Outfitted in a black turtleneck and offering up a detailed slideshow of what he envisions for MoviePass’s next iteration, Spikes appeared to be borrowing couture and stagecraft from one of Steve Jobs’ Apple presentations.
But there were still many questions that were left unanswered.
“We want to rebuild MoviePass as a company that’s built by its fanbase,” Spikes said in a presentation at New York City’s Lincoln Center. Outfitted in a black turtleneck and offering up a detailed slideshow of what he envisions for MoviePass’s next iteration, Spikes appeared to be borrowing couture and stagecraft from one of Steve Jobs’ Apple presentations.
But there were still many questions that were left unanswered.
- 2/10/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Regal is tweaking its subscription pass in several important ways. The service, dubbed Regal Unlimited, was launched in 2019 as the exhibition chain’s answer to MoviePass. Initially, users who signed up for the service had to commit to a year of the subscription plan. Now, users can sign up with only a 90-day commitment.
The service has three tiers, ranging in price from $18 to $23.50. Those tiers differ in terms of the number of venues users have access to watch movies. Under the plan, users can watch an unlimited number of films monthly. In place of a card, users only have to access an app on their phone.
The theater chain is also throwing in 10% off of food and non-alcoholic drink purchases, as well as offering users a chance to earn credits for Regal Crown Club, its loyalty program, which gives people a chance to get additional discounts. There are no blackout dates for the service.
The service has three tiers, ranging in price from $18 to $23.50. Those tiers differ in terms of the number of venues users have access to watch movies. Under the plan, users can watch an unlimited number of films monthly. In place of a card, users only have to access an app on their phone.
The theater chain is also throwing in 10% off of food and non-alcoholic drink purchases, as well as offering users a chance to earn credits for Regal Crown Club, its loyalty program, which gives people a chance to get additional discounts. There are no blackout dates for the service.
- 11/12/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
MoviePass, the all-you-can watch movie ticket subscription service that proved to be smash hit with cinema-goers until its extraordinary demise in 2019, could be coming back. MoviePass cofounder Stacy Spikes took control of the company this week as part of the bankruptcy proceeding of the service’s now-former parent company. “I can confirm that we acquired MoviePass out of bankruptcy on Wednesday,” Spikes told Insider, which first reported the news. “We are thrilled to have it back and are exploring the possibility of relaunching soon. Our pursuit to reclaim the brand was encouraged by the continued interest from the moviegoing community. We believe, if done properly, theatrical subscription can play an instrumental role in lifting moviegoing attendance to new heights.”
He’s set up a website, iwantmoviepass.com, featuring a mailing-list signup for updates on when the new service launches. Gone is the trademark red branding, swapped out for a black-and-white text logo.
He’s set up a website, iwantmoviepass.com, featuring a mailing-list signup for updates on when the new service launches. Gone is the trademark red branding, swapped out for a black-and-white text logo.
- 11/11/2021
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
It seemed too good to be true. Offering one movie ticket per day for $9.95 a month beginning in August 2017, MoviePass experienced a rapid growth rate the likes of which few other companies have ever seen. Indeed, while many cinephiles had a movie-going life that one thought was only possible in our dreams, the economics of such a system were short-lived. When it all came crashing down as MoviePass closed operations in 2019 and then filed for bankruptcy in early 2020, we imagined it was the final nail in the coffin. However, in a twist made for the movies, they are now back from the dead.
Business Insider reports that co-founder Stacy Spikes was granted ownership of MoviePass this week, having placed a bid of less than $250,000 to a trustee that is the bankruptcy of MoviePass’ former parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics. Spikes also revealed that he plans to relaunch the company next year and,...
Business Insider reports that co-founder Stacy Spikes was granted ownership of MoviePass this week, having placed a bid of less than $250,000 to a trustee that is the bankruptcy of MoviePass’ former parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics. Spikes also revealed that he plans to relaunch the company next year and,...
- 11/11/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
MoviePass Coming Back From the Dead? Co-Founder Eyes Relaunch After Buying Bankrupt Service’s Assets
MoviePass, which burned through hundreds of millions of dollars before shutting down amid lawsuits and an FTC complaint, may be getting a second act.
Stacy Spikes, one of the co-founders of the theater-subscription company that shut down in 2019, has acquired the assets of MoviePass in a bankruptcy proceeding. And he says he’s looking to relaunch the MoviePass service in 2022 with new financial backers.
“I can confirm that we acquired MoviePass out of bankruptcy on Wednesday,” Spikes said in a statement to Insider, which first reported the news. “We are thrilled to have it back and are exploring the possibility of relaunching soon. Our pursuit to reclaim the brand was encouraged by the continued interest from the moviegoing community. We believe, if done properly, theatrical subscription can play an instrumental role in lifting moviegoing attendance to new heights.”
Spikes has set up a new website, iwantmoviepass.com, that invites visitors...
Stacy Spikes, one of the co-founders of the theater-subscription company that shut down in 2019, has acquired the assets of MoviePass in a bankruptcy proceeding. And he says he’s looking to relaunch the MoviePass service in 2022 with new financial backers.
“I can confirm that we acquired MoviePass out of bankruptcy on Wednesday,” Spikes said in a statement to Insider, which first reported the news. “We are thrilled to have it back and are exploring the possibility of relaunching soon. Our pursuit to reclaim the brand was encouraged by the continued interest from the moviegoing community. We believe, if done properly, theatrical subscription can play an instrumental role in lifting moviegoing attendance to new heights.”
Spikes has set up a new website, iwantmoviepass.com, that invites visitors...
- 11/11/2021
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Christine L. Mendoza is the new Executive Director of Urbanworld Foundation Inc.
In the role, Mendoza will oversee year-round strategy, operations and development for the foundation, as well as its Urbanworld Film Festival, which highlights the work of artists of color.
2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the festival and the last year for festival director and head of programming, Gabrielle Glore, who assisted festival founder Stacy Spikes in finding a qualified individual for the director position.
“We are thrilled to have Christine join the Urbanworld family,” said Spikes. “She brings the ideal mix of experience and passion to our team as we continue to expand our reach and impact.”
Mendoza has worked with marginalized writers and filmmakers throughout her career in film. Most recently she served as the Director of Education for Film at Lincoln Center which preceded her work as the Director of Development and Programs for the Coalition for Immigrant Freedom.
In the role, Mendoza will oversee year-round strategy, operations and development for the foundation, as well as its Urbanworld Film Festival, which highlights the work of artists of color.
2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the festival and the last year for festival director and head of programming, Gabrielle Glore, who assisted festival founder Stacy Spikes in finding a qualified individual for the director position.
“We are thrilled to have Christine join the Urbanworld family,” said Spikes. “She brings the ideal mix of experience and passion to our team as we continue to expand our reach and impact.”
Mendoza has worked with marginalized writers and filmmakers throughout her career in film. Most recently she served as the Director of Education for Film at Lincoln Center which preceded her work as the Director of Development and Programs for the Coalition for Immigrant Freedom.
- 10/6/2021
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Urbanworld has named Christine L. Mendoza executive director of the foundation.
The newly-created role will have Mendoza overseeing year-round operations, strategy and development for Urbanworld, the home of Urbanworld Film Festival. As written in a press release, the festival “showcases narrative features, documentaries, short films, web originals, spotlight screenings, conversations and music performances that feature people of color including Black, Indigenous and Latinx artists.”
“We are thrilled to have Christine join the Urbanworld family. She brings the ideal mix of experience and passion to our team as we continue to expand our reach and impact,” Stacy Spikes, founder of Urbanworld Film Festival, said in a statement.
Mendoza, who identifies as Latinx, has made equity in the arts her mission as a filmmaker, administrator and educator. Mendoza was most recently the director of education for film at Lincoln Center and has previously worked as the director of development and programs for the Coalition for Immigrant Freedom.
The newly-created role will have Mendoza overseeing year-round operations, strategy and development for Urbanworld, the home of Urbanworld Film Festival. As written in a press release, the festival “showcases narrative features, documentaries, short films, web originals, spotlight screenings, conversations and music performances that feature people of color including Black, Indigenous and Latinx artists.”
“We are thrilled to have Christine join the Urbanworld family. She brings the ideal mix of experience and passion to our team as we continue to expand our reach and impact,” Stacy Spikes, founder of Urbanworld Film Festival, said in a statement.
Mendoza, who identifies as Latinx, has made equity in the arts her mission as a filmmaker, administrator and educator. Mendoza was most recently the director of education for film at Lincoln Center and has previously worked as the director of development and programs for the Coalition for Immigrant Freedom.
- 10/6/2021
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
The Urbanworld Film Festival is set to mark its 25th anniversary with a star-studded hybrid event featuring Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay; “Wu-Tang: An American Saga’s” RZA and Shameik Moore; “King Richard” director Reinaldo Marcus Green and star Aunjanue Ellis; “Power Book III: Raising Kanan’s” Patina Miller; “Sankofa” filmmaker Haile Gerima and more.
The 2021 edition of the film festival will be presented virtually with on urbanworld.org, running from Sept. 29-Oct. 3, with select in-person events held at Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas, Chelsea at 260 West 23rd Street in New York. Presented by founding partner HBO and prestige partners WarnerMedia and Ally, the festival officially unveiled its slate of more than 88 official selections, panels and conversations.
A longtime supporter of and participant in the Urbanworld lineup, DuVernay will be on hand for multiple special events with the Netflix series “Colin in Black & White” featured among the virtual spotlight presentations at the fest.
The 2021 edition of the film festival will be presented virtually with on urbanworld.org, running from Sept. 29-Oct. 3, with select in-person events held at Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas, Chelsea at 260 West 23rd Street in New York. Presented by founding partner HBO and prestige partners WarnerMedia and Ally, the festival officially unveiled its slate of more than 88 official selections, panels and conversations.
A longtime supporter of and participant in the Urbanworld lineup, DuVernay will be on hand for multiple special events with the Netflix series “Colin in Black & White” featured among the virtual spotlight presentations at the fest.
- 9/21/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Moviepass co-founder Stacy Spikes revealed on Thursday his latest project: PreShow Interactive, a mobile app that offers gamers the ability to exchange their time spent engaging with branded content to unlock in-game currency without interrupting their playing experience.
The currency that players unlock may be applied to many popular games across multiple consoles. Currently in Beta, the company has closed $3 million in seed funding led by Harlem Capitol, which will be used to expand its product and support new hires.
“We are thrilled by the early feedback and excitement we have received from our beta users as well ...
The currency that players unlock may be applied to many popular games across multiple consoles. Currently in Beta, the company has closed $3 million in seed funding led by Harlem Capitol, which will be used to expand its product and support new hires.
“We are thrilled by the early feedback and excitement we have received from our beta users as well ...
- 4/29/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Moviepass co-founder Stacy Spikes revealed on Thursday his latest project: PreShow Interactive, a mobile app that offers gamers the ability to exchange their time spent engaging with branded content to unlock in-game currency without interrupting their playing experience.
The currency that players unlock may be applied to many popular games across multiple consoles. Currently in Beta, the company has closed $3 million in seed funding led by Harlem Capitol, which will be used to expand its product and support new hires.
“We are thrilled by the early feedback and excitement we have received from our beta users as well ...
The currency that players unlock may be applied to many popular games across multiple consoles. Currently in Beta, the company has closed $3 million in seed funding led by Harlem Capitol, which will be used to expand its product and support new hires.
“We are thrilled by the early feedback and excitement we have received from our beta users as well ...
- 4/29/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Exclusive: Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas, the company behind HBO’s Emmy-nominated McMillions, is taking another deep dive into the absurdities of greed with the story behind the rise and fall of MoviePass. Unrealistic Ideas has teamed with Assemble Media and Insider (formerly Business Insider) to develop a premium limited docuseries chronicling the demise of the famed movie-ticket subscription service.
The docuseries is based on Insider reporter Jason Guerrasio’s award-winning coverage of the rise and fall of the company. Guerrasio’s reports chronicled MoviePass’ explosive growth in 2017 after offering unlimited theatrical movies for just $9.95 a month, through its downfall.
“Employing a sexy price to turbo-charge subscriber growth, the investors who took over the company sought the rapid success experienced by high-flying startups like WeWork and Uber. But through over-the-top parties, inexplicable mismanagement, and questionable behind-the-scenes deals, the new leadership of MoviePass slowly alienated its customers and shuttered its service...
The docuseries is based on Insider reporter Jason Guerrasio’s award-winning coverage of the rise and fall of the company. Guerrasio’s reports chronicled MoviePass’ explosive growth in 2017 after offering unlimited theatrical movies for just $9.95 a month, through its downfall.
“Employing a sexy price to turbo-charge subscriber growth, the investors who took over the company sought the rapid success experienced by high-flying startups like WeWork and Uber. But through over-the-top parties, inexplicable mismanagement, and questionable behind-the-scenes deals, the new leadership of MoviePass slowly alienated its customers and shuttered its service...
- 2/18/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
The Urbanworld Film Festival will open its 24th edition with David Oyelowo’s directorial debut “The Water Man” on Sept. 23.
Oyelowo stars in the fantasy-adventure film that follows a boy who sets out on a quest to save his ill mother by searching for a mythic figure said to have magical healing powers. A conversation with Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson, Lonnie Chavis and Amiah Miller moderated by Ava DuVernay will immediately follow the screening, as well as a special music performance by Alice Smith. “The Water Man” will premiere on Sept. 19 at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival.
“In an unimaginable year of change, we remain inspired by the creativity, culture and community that prevail in this brave new virtual world,” said Gabrielle Glore, festival director and head of programming. “Powerful storytelling is now more important than ever and Urbanworld is proud to be a consistent platform that brings Black, Indigenous and...
Oyelowo stars in the fantasy-adventure film that follows a boy who sets out on a quest to save his ill mother by searching for a mythic figure said to have magical healing powers. A conversation with Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson, Lonnie Chavis and Amiah Miller moderated by Ava DuVernay will immediately follow the screening, as well as a special music performance by Alice Smith. “The Water Man” will premiere on Sept. 19 at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival.
“In an unimaginable year of change, we remain inspired by the creativity, culture and community that prevail in this brave new virtual world,” said Gabrielle Glore, festival director and head of programming. “Powerful storytelling is now more important than ever and Urbanworld is proud to be a consistent platform that brings Black, Indigenous and...
- 9/17/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
It’s over. Helios and Matheson Analytics (Hmny), the parent company of MoviePass, announced today that they’re pulling the plug on the famed monthly movie ticket subscription service which offered unlimited tickets for $9.95 a month.
Hmny today said that it formed a strategic review committee comprised of independent directors, to identify, review and explore all strategic and financial alternatives for the company. Options include a sale of the company in its entirety, a sale of company assets like MoviePass, Moviefone and MoviePass Films. Today, MoviePass notified its subscribers that it would be “interrupting the MoviePass service” effective September 14 because its efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful.
In July, the company had suspended the service to work on what it said were technical improvements as well as an effort to recapitalize the operation, which at its peak had burned through tens of millions of dollars a month.
“The...
Hmny today said that it formed a strategic review committee comprised of independent directors, to identify, review and explore all strategic and financial alternatives for the company. Options include a sale of the company in its entirety, a sale of company assets like MoviePass, Moviefone and MoviePass Films. Today, MoviePass notified its subscribers that it would be “interrupting the MoviePass service” effective September 14 because its efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful.
In July, the company had suspended the service to work on what it said were technical improvements as well as an effort to recapitalize the operation, which at its peak had burned through tens of millions of dollars a month.
“The...
- 9/13/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
The never-ending story of MoviePass has hit rock bottom as Business Insider reports the movie ticket subscription service only has about 225,000 current subscribers, a massive decline from the over 3 million people who were using MoviePass in June 2018. The service became a sensation for moviegoers in 2017 after it announced it would let subscribers see one movie each day for the total price of $9.95 per month.
The $9.95 price point drove millions of subscribers to MoviePass, but it was a business model that could not sustain itself. MoviePass co-founder Stacy Spikes gave an interview to Business Insider earlier this month and claimed the company always knew the $9.95 fee would not be financially successful. Spikes said the idea to lower MoviePass’ monthly fee to $9.95 originated as a “promotional thing” to celebrate Helios and Matheson Analytics’ acquisition of the company. Spikes had been testing sustainable price points for awhile and had a $12.99 plan he said would have worked,...
The $9.95 price point drove millions of subscribers to MoviePass, but it was a business model that could not sustain itself. MoviePass co-founder Stacy Spikes gave an interview to Business Insider earlier this month and claimed the company always knew the $9.95 fee would not be financially successful. Spikes said the idea to lower MoviePass’ monthly fee to $9.95 originated as a “promotional thing” to celebrate Helios and Matheson Analytics’ acquisition of the company. Spikes had been testing sustainable price points for awhile and had a $12.99 plan he said would have worked,...
- 4/18/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Stacy Spikes spent the majority of 2018 like many movie lovers: Watching MoviePass’ inevitable fall from grace. The only difference is it was far more personal for Spikes, who co-founded the company in 2011 before being fired in January 2018 after a disagreement with its new parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics. In his first major interview since being forced to exit MoviePass (via Business Insider), Spikes said the writing was on the wall the minute Helios became fixated on MoviePass’ $9.95 service charge. While Spikes appeared to be in support of the lower fee when speaking to IndieWire in 2017, he now says that wasn’t the case behind the scenes.
According to Spikes, the idea to lower MoviePass’ monthly fee to $9.95 originated as a “promotional thing” to celebrate Helios’ acquisition of the company. The original plan was to never keep the rate at $9.95, a number Spikes knew from the start was never going...
According to Spikes, the idea to lower MoviePass’ monthly fee to $9.95 originated as a “promotional thing” to celebrate Helios’ acquisition of the company. The original plan was to never keep the rate at $9.95, a number Spikes knew from the start was never going...
- 4/11/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The days of simply going to a movie theater and paying for a ticket may soon be over, dear reader, if tech executives have their way. Following the many ups and downs of MoviePass, a new venture is being launched by one of that company’s founders to score viewers movie tickets for the low, low price of sitting through 15 to 20 minutes of advertisements. Before you point out that everyone already does that when they watch trailers in the theater, know this: PreShow wants to utilize facial recognition and track how much attention you’re paying to each ad.
“If it weren’t for facial recognition, I don’t think we could still do it,” Stacy Spikes, PreShow’s founder and chief executive, said in an interview with CNET last week. “If not, they could game this all day long.”
Here’s how it works, per CNET: “Forgoing a password,...
“If it weren’t for facial recognition, I don’t think we could still do it,” Stacy Spikes, PreShow’s founder and chief executive, said in an interview with CNET last week. “If not, they could game this all day long.”
Here’s how it works, per CNET: “Forgoing a password,...
- 3/24/2019
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Seven years ago, MoviePass co-founders Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt had a staggering realization that would shake the entire film industry to its core: People actually like going to the movies. They like to get the hell out of their house to enjoy a night away from their kids, and if that means having to watch Jason Statham punch a prehistoric shark in the face then so be it.
For much of cinema’s first century, that might have seemed like a self-evident fact, but in 2011 — when Netflix began acquiring original content, and Silicon Valley had convinced even the major studios to think of multiplexes as a necessary evil that wasn’t long for this world — it seemed like a radical idea.
As it turns out, audiences weren’t staying home because they didn’t want to go to the movies, they were staying home because they didn’t want...
For much of cinema’s first century, that might have seemed like a self-evident fact, but in 2011 — when Netflix began acquiring original content, and Silicon Valley had convinced even the major studios to think of multiplexes as a necessary evil that wasn’t long for this world — it seemed like a radical idea.
As it turns out, audiences weren’t staying home because they didn’t want to go to the movies, they were staying home because they didn’t want...
- 8/17/2018
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Is MoviePass, the subscription service that once trumpeted itself as the Netflix of movie-going, about to fade to black?
With cash running low and its stock tanking, it certainly seems like the end of the line for a company that has disrupted the exhibition industry. Last week, MoviePass borrowed $5 million at borderline usurious rates because it desperately needed capital. But its situation has failed to improve. There have been widespread breakdowns in service that have left customers angry and concerned that MoviePass is about to go under.
Nick Laubach, a 22-year-old sales operations specialist from Tampa, Fla., said there were no showings appearing Monday night on the MoviePass app and that the company had not added listings for new releases such as “Mission: Impossible – Fallout.”
“I am worried that they are going to go out of business,” he said. “This is particularly worrisome for me because I purchased an annual...
With cash running low and its stock tanking, it certainly seems like the end of the line for a company that has disrupted the exhibition industry. Last week, MoviePass borrowed $5 million at borderline usurious rates because it desperately needed capital. But its situation has failed to improve. There have been widespread breakdowns in service that have left customers angry and concerned that MoviePass is about to go under.
Nick Laubach, a 22-year-old sales operations specialist from Tampa, Fla., said there were no showings appearing Monday night on the MoviePass app and that the company had not added listings for new releases such as “Mission: Impossible – Fallout.”
“I am worried that they are going to go out of business,” he said. “This is particularly worrisome for me because I purchased an annual...
- 7/31/2018
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
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