Movie Tickets Reach the $20 Mark (Anyone still going to the movies?)

WSJ ^ | 21 May 10 | LAUREN A. E. SCHUKER

[SkyPilot]

For the first time, a major Hollywood film will hit the $20 threshold at the box office, as movie-theater owners test the public's ability to absorb ever higher ticket prices.

Several theaters will charge $20 per adult ticket to IMAX showings of the animated 3-D family film "Shrek Forever After," the fourth "Shrek" installment from DreamWorks Animation. The theaters include the AMC theater in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighborhood, AMC Loews 34, AMC Loews Lincoln Square and AMC Empire 42nd Street.

The increases weren't officially announced, but were reflected in prices posted Wednesday on movie-ticketing Web sites such as Fandango.com and tracked by BTIG LLC media analyst Richard Greenfield.

"With the state of the economy remaining questionable, we worry pricing is simply moving up too quickly," cautioned Mr. Greenfield in a research blog post, adding that he was especially concerned about how quickly children's ticket prices are increasing. "The danger is scaring consumers away from the movie theaters."

This weekend's price increase come less than eight weeks after theater operators instituted some of the steepest hikes in a decade. Those increases in late March—in some cases of as much as 26%—varied theater to theater and focused on 3-D and IMAX showings of another DreamWorks Animation title, "How to Train Your Dragon." The same AMC theater in Manhattan charged $19.50 for an IMAX showing of "Dragon."

The $20 ticket may prove to be a psychological barrier too steep for some moviegoers to overcome, but the industry appears ready to take the risk, especially in the wake of a string of 3-D blockbusters, from "Avatar" to "Alice in Wonderland." 3-D movies accounted for the vast majority of last year's 10% jump in domestic box-office sales.

[Bobalu]

Not even worth the trouble to download them for free.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

The truth is 90+% of all movies made today are simply unwatchable.

Ain't that the truth! The last movie I actually went to the local cinema to see was Wolverine, and will probably be the last. We have quite a growing DVD library from which we can choose our favorites to pretty much occupy our evenings together.

[Oceander]

Haven’t been out to the movie theatre in years.

[Future Snake Eater]

I’ve heard rumblings that hulu.com is going subscription-based.

[ml/nj]

I usually pay about 20 bucks to see the Metropolitan Opera HD transmissions, maybe four times a year. Otherwise I haven't seen a movie since The Stoning of Soraya M, which I saw for free.

ML/NJ

[G-Man 1]

I refuse to give money to the radical left and anti-American crowd.

[netmilsmom]

Yes! I like Hulu. My DH hooked a computer up to our big tv so we could watch Hulu and YouTube.

We love old Mystery Science Theater 3000s.

[netmilsmom]

>>I’ve heard rumblings that hulu.com is going subscription-based.<<

Hulu would be stupid to go subscription.
There are tons of streaming sites that have the programs quicker and without commercials. I’m sure they are going to try, but it will be a bust. People will move onto Davidsmovies and forget Hulu.

[EmilyGeiger]

I totally agree with your sentiment. The last few movies we have gone to, there have been preteens that are “coupled” up that parents have just dropped off @ the movies with no supervision.. 11 & 12 yr.olds on “dates” in a dark theater. I teach that age group and they do not need to be in a boy/ girl situation with no adult supervision! Also, we have had to get onto children who were rude and disruptive and you just cannot enjoy the movie. We now either watch at home on our large screen t.v or we go to the drive in nearby. It costs $10 for a car load and the drinks and popcorn we bring from home.

[netmilsmom]

We have an IMAX and kids.
We go to the movies. Not all the time, but the big ones.
Harry Potter and Pixar for example. Seeing Dark Knight as it should have been seen, in IMAX, was worth every cent. (Dad gave me that for our wedding anniversary)

You can’t get 3D IMAX at home.

[Rebelbase]

“plethora”

Whatever you say, El Guapo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6E682C7Jj4

[NavyCanDo]

We went from maybe 1 or 2 a Month, to about 2 or 3 a year. With our home theater most movies worth watching can wait for DVD or whe it pops up on Netflix.

[Cvengr]

Don’t worry, baseball and football games are closer to $200 for field seats.

[aruanan]

Wow. That is cheap. Are those national chains?

Cinemark is. The other one is The New 400. It was one of the first movie theaters in the Midwest. It was recently repurchased and renovated. The screens aren't that big, but it's nearby, the people who work there aren't creeps, and most of the customers are from that neighborhood and Loyola University. And they serve adult beverages.

So you've been satisfied with your Netflix experience? I've wondered, but never tried it.

[G Larry]

Ironic that we used “Free Tickets” to see Robin Hood last weekend.

Amazing how such an anti-tax, anti-big government this Hollywood film is!

Highly recommended for Freepers!

[All Blue State]

I wonder if Obama is concerned that performers make “too much” money. He attacks other businesses, but is silent when it comes to professional athletes and actors/actresses? Of course, they are providing a great service, promoting environmentalism, cures for popular diseases, and unity.

[ctdonath2]

Paid $30 for two adults to see Alice in 3D.

At that price, I may as well buy a >50” 3D HDTV. I need a new TV anyway, and the $1000 premium amortizes nicely over just 4 3D movies a year for the next 10 years.

[stevecmd]

Try Blind Side !

[RobRoy]

I watched Avatar in Imax 3D during a matinee for around $12, IIRC. I’ll only go to the theater to see the 3D spectacles. Anything else, if I want to see it, I wait for on DVD. The home experience is better anyway.

[RobRoy]

I saw one of the Bourne movies and liked it. Trouble is, because they are all so similarly named, I don’t know which one I saw, so I’ll never see the others. I hate renting the same movie twice.