AMC theaters to change prices beginning with ‘The Batman’

To practice a variable pricing experiment, AMC theaters will charge different prices for movies, beginning with The Batman.

It’s something that Spielberg and Lucas predicted almost a decade ago in 2013: different tiers of prices for different films similar to that of sporting events and concerts.

The CEO of AMC Theaters, Adam Aron, announced that tickets for The Batman, the latest film in the saga of the superhero franchise featuring the “Caped Crusader” starring Robert Pattinson in the titular role will be, “slightly higher than the prices… for other movies playing in the same theaters at the same time.”

In Los Angeles, the price increase will be $1.50 for adult tickets to see The Batman.

He further went on to say, “This is all quite novel in the United States, but actually, AMC has been doing it for years in our European theaters…Indeed, in Europe, we charge a premium for the best seats in the house, as do just about all other sellers of tickets in other industries — think sports events, concerts, and live theater, for example.”

While fans may be surprised that this is happening, those in the industry have predicted something like this would happen for years.

In a 2013 panel at the University of Southern California, famed directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas both predicted what would eventually become a reality 9 years early.

As Variety explains, Spielberg noted that “they would rather spend $250 million on a single film than make several personal, quirky projects.”

He also predicted it would come a day where, “There’s going to be eventually day and date with movies, and eventually there’s going to be a price variance…You’re going to have to pay $25 to see the next Iron Man. And you’re probably only going to have to pay $7 to see Lincoln‘”

Variety explained that both Spielberg and Lucas saw the concept of “‘quirky’ or more personal content migrating to streaming video-on-demand, where niche audiences can be aggregated.”

Lucas stated back in 2013, “The question will be: Do you want people to see it, or do you want people to see it on a big screen?”

The day-and-date concept became a reality with movies being available on video on demand and streaming services the same day, and this appears to be another prediction he made that has become true.

While some may enjoy the idea of going to the movies as an event, such as when audiences dress up for Star Wars releases or go in giant groups such as with a concert or sporting event, there also needs to be an avenue to make sure smaller films are still supported and able to thrive in an era when franchise films are dominating and both franchise films and smaller, original stories can flourish.

Ron Howard, another famed director, also predicted varying pricing at Wall Street Journal‘s 2020 Tech Live, explaining that, “The multiplexes are going to become a little bit like Broadway in a way…That’s where the expensive projects go. It’s to get as many people in there to create memorable events. There’s also going to be a place for dramas playing out on big screens, the more sophisticated fare for perhaps older audiences. The exhibitors are going to find that price point.”

This supports the idea that both big-budget franchise films and smaller independent films will both be around in movie theaters, but under the idea that they will draw in different audiences and this will determine how ticket prices will be differentiated to match with the audience.

Theaters will charge more for a comic book film that will pull in large audiences as opposed to a smaller independent movie that may attract an older demographic.

With a budget of “$200 million,” The Batman is predicted to have a weekend box office opening of “between $100 and $125 million,” and with the majority of the movies with the highest lifetime box office gross being franchise films, it is not a surprise that another franchise film will generate a high amount of money.

The Batman is the first solo live-action film for the Gotham City hero since 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, the final entry in the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy, which further sparks interest.

This also comes in an era when the film industry is looking to build itself back up financially after the pandemic caused a halt to film production and distribution in much of 2020.

In a world where the concept of releasing films on the same “day and date” is a reality, a debate on whether or not audiences want to see films on the big screen or in the comfort of their homes, and the concept of making movie theater viewing a spectacle where pricing is based on the act, such as with theater, sports, and concerts, it will be interesting to see how the film industry grows with it, and what benefits will arise for both big-budget franchise films and smaller independent movies.