AMC Theaters to Charge More for Better Seats at the Movies Transcript

Well, the largest movie theater chain in the US will soon begin charging more for the best seat in the house.

That’s right, KCAL News’s Joy Benedict explains AMC’s new ticket pricing policy.

There are some films that bring you back to the box office, but now a new policy may turn some moviegoers away.

Probably just find a different movie theater to go to.

Moviegoers outside this AMC weren’t loving the idea of the theater chain’s new Sightline Seating, meaning the better the sightline, the bigger the price.

I think it’s a bit of an issue. I honestly am not the biggest fan.

It’s the same room. It’s a pre-recorded film. It really shouldn’t cost anymore or any less to be in a certain seat.

But AMC disagrees and is banking on the fact that movie lovers will pay more for the center of the theater.

We pay extra for a lot of premium experiences in life. Maybe the movie theater is the next frontier of that type of pricing.

Paul Dergarabdian is a senior media analyst for Comscore and covers the box office.

This is going to be a controversial move, no question about it. And you want to embrace the moviegoer, but look, the movie theaters have to do what they have to do. They’ve had a rough few years with the pandemic.

He says, prior to the pandemic, the domestic box office brought in more than $11 billion a year. It has been on a steady upswing since, but it’s still falling short at just $7.5 billion last year

And 23, with about 30 more wide release films than in 2022, it’s going to be a great year for movie-going. If you’re going to create a new pricing scenario, I think this is the time to do it.

Under the new policy, AMC ticket-goers will pay the most for preferred sight line, center screen, center theater, and pay a little less for value sight line in the front. But this only applies to movies starting later than 4:00 PM.

As we’ve seen with concert tickets, Broadway tickets, we’ve sort of become accustomed to paying for the premium experience.

But those who love the big screen say they aren’t so sure they’ll buy into the new policy or the theater when there are other companies who will sell the same seat for less.

It’s just sort of a further restriction, more money that has to be spent. And if it doesn’t need to be done, then I don’t think it needs to be done.

The cost for preferred sightline seating will differ from theater to theater, and AMC is waiving that premium for its A-list members. From Burbank, I’m Joy Benedict, KCAL News.