Experiencing movies in theaters is one of the most pristine feelings ever, something that can never be recreated by alternatives, irrespective of technological advancements. However, with the advent and popularity of Ott and streaming service-based entertainment in the last decade, a significant portion of the population turned their back on theaters. This marked a drastic decline in the number of moviegoers, and its impact was noticeable with the shutting down of several movie theaters. In 2011, the subscription-based movie-viewing service, Moviepass, was launched, which had the potential to revolutionize the theater business in a massive way, and to some extent, it managed to do so for a certain period of time. But a series of instances of mismanagement led to the service’s downfall, which is duly chronicled in HBO’s documentary Moviepass, Moviecrash, directed by Muta’Ali.
In a taut, detailed, and methodical way, the documentary delineates the events that...
In a taut, detailed, and methodical way, the documentary delineates the events that...
- 6/1/2024
- by Siddhartha Das
- Film Fugitives
Late in HBO’s MoviePass, MovieCrash documentary, one of the talking heads — a smarmy vulture capitalist who gets way too much glee from describing the downfall of less-savvy vultures — quips that former MoviePass executive Ted Farnsworth is a con artist who had no intention of finding a business model for the once-beloved movie ticket subscription platform that actually made sense. Instead, the smarmy man says, he was putting on a Broadway play, with stocks in place of tickets, with everything about MoviePass being done in the service of the show.
- 5/29/2024
- by Sam Barsanti
- Primetimer
“There’s a wonderful thing that happened when MoviePass went away.”
It’s an odd thing for the founder of MoviePass to say, but Stacy Spikes told IndieWire as much. That’s because in the wake of the spectacular crash and burn of his subscription movie-ticketing company, numerous copycats and in-house loyalty programs quickly tried to re-create what Spikes built.
“You had a lot of people introduced to subscription models, [which] validated that subscription models work, and that consumers like them,” Spikes said.
After MoviePass shuttered in 2019 — then under the leadership of Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth after Spikes had been pushed out in 2017 — Spikes re-acquired the MoviePass brand in an auction and relaunched the company in 2022, hoping to build back his baby’s name after the former CEOs caused so much ill will.
Less than two years later, Spikes has achieved something the company never did before — especially not when...
It’s an odd thing for the founder of MoviePass to say, but Stacy Spikes told IndieWire as much. That’s because in the wake of the spectacular crash and burn of his subscription movie-ticketing company, numerous copycats and in-house loyalty programs quickly tried to re-create what Spikes built.
“You had a lot of people introduced to subscription models, [which] validated that subscription models work, and that consumers like them,” Spikes said.
After MoviePass shuttered in 2019 — then under the leadership of Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth after Spikes had been pushed out in 2017 — Spikes re-acquired the MoviePass brand in an auction and relaunched the company in 2022, hoping to build back his baby’s name after the former CEOs caused so much ill will.
Less than two years later, Spikes has achieved something the company never did before — especially not when...
- 5/28/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
If you were there, you remember. 2018 was the summer of MoviePass, a glorious period in cinema history where millions said “why not” and took a chance to see nearly any movie thanks to the revolutionary subscription platform.
Switching to an unsustainable $10 a month, MoviePass went from being a niche program for movie fans to the hottest subscription program around. Offering users the chance to see a movie a day at nearly any theater in the country, it was, of course, too good to be true––especially when one ticket in New York City could be as much as $17.
The rise and fall of MoviePass is chronicled in the new HBO documentary MoviePass, MovieCrash, which recently premiered at SXSW, and in co-founder Stacy Spikes’ book Black Founder. Spikes was forced out of the company he co-founded with Hamet Watt by the infamous duo of Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth after questionable...
Switching to an unsustainable $10 a month, MoviePass went from being a niche program for movie fans to the hottest subscription program around. Offering users the chance to see a movie a day at nearly any theater in the country, it was, of course, too good to be true––especially when one ticket in New York City could be as much as $17.
The rise and fall of MoviePass is chronicled in the new HBO documentary MoviePass, MovieCrash, which recently premiered at SXSW, and in co-founder Stacy Spikes’ book Black Founder. Spikes was forced out of the company he co-founded with Hamet Watt by the infamous duo of Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth after questionable...
- 3/25/2024
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
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
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
MoviePass CEO Stacey Spikes said the service may give users buying tickets on the app the option of watching a bucket of commercials in exchange for credits they can cash in for movie tickets.
Spikes – who relaunched the company out of bankruptcy in 2022 – wants to start a beta trial this coming summer. He spoke at SXSW after the premiere of the Muta’Ali directed documentary MoviePass, MovieCrash earlier today. Spikes co-founded the company, which was then acquired by Ted Farnsworth and Mitch Lowe. They ejected him and ran it into the ground with too-good-to-be-true ticket offers. Shareholders in MoviePass’ parent Helios + Matheson were wiped out when it filed for Chapter 11. Lowe and Farnsworth have been sued for fraud by the SEC.
MoviePass was reborn in the fall of 2022 and currently has three — more responsible — tiers that include movies as well as credits that can be used towards purchases.
In conversation...
Spikes – who relaunched the company out of bankruptcy in 2022 – wants to start a beta trial this coming summer. He spoke at SXSW after the premiere of the Muta’Ali directed documentary MoviePass, MovieCrash earlier today. Spikes co-founded the company, which was then acquired by Ted Farnsworth and Mitch Lowe. They ejected him and ran it into the ground with too-good-to-be-true ticket offers. Shareholders in MoviePass’ parent Helios + Matheson were wiped out when it filed for Chapter 11. Lowe and Farnsworth have been sued for fraud by the SEC.
MoviePass was reborn in the fall of 2022 and currently has three — more responsible — tiers that include movies as well as credits that can be used towards purchases.
In conversation...
- 3/10/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline 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
The National Enquirer (U.S. and UK editions) and sister publications Globe and National Examiner are being unloaded by A360 Media to a Jv of Vinco Ventures and Ted Farnsworth’s Icon Publishing. The exec was CEO of Helios & Matheson, a public company that acquired MoviePass in 2017 only see the ticketing service go belly-up three years later.
The Enquirer, a nearly century-old, often scandal-plagued tabloid, most recently achieved notoriety under former publisher David Pecker with so-called “catch and kill” tactics — paying for stories that were potentially embarrassing to former President Donald Trump and never running them. That included payments to Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed she had an affair with Trump. In 2019, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, in the midst of a divorce, accused the tabloid of attempting to strong arm and extort him with intimate photos and texts.
Terms of today’s deal weren’t disclosed but it’s reportedly worth just under 100 million.
The Enquirer, a nearly century-old, often scandal-plagued tabloid, most recently achieved notoriety under former publisher David Pecker with so-called “catch and kill” tactics — paying for stories that were potentially embarrassing to former President Donald Trump and never running them. That included payments to Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed she had an affair with Trump. In 2019, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, in the midst of a divorce, accused the tabloid of attempting to strong arm and extort him with intimate photos and texts.
Terms of today’s deal weren’t disclosed but it’s reportedly worth just under 100 million.
- 2/6/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline 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
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed suit against two former CEOs of MoviePass, charging them with misleading investors about the bankrupt company’s profit potential, data operations, relationships with studios and revenue sources.
The suit targets former MoviePass CEOs Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, former chairman and CEO of Helios and Matheson Analytics, which bought out MoviePass in 2017, for making multiple false statements in regulatory filings and media appearances that were collectively designed to convince investors that MoviePass could turn a profit after dropping its subscription rate, in part because it was using “big data”and artificial intelligence to monetize information from subscribers that it was not in fact collecting.
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The executives also “devised fraudulent tactics to prevent MoviePass’ heavy users from using the service and falsely and misleadingly informed the public that...
The suit targets former MoviePass CEOs Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, former chairman and CEO of Helios and Matheson Analytics, which bought out MoviePass in 2017, for making multiple false statements in regulatory filings and media appearances that were collectively designed to convince investors that MoviePass could turn a profit after dropping its subscription rate, in part because it was using “big data”and artificial intelligence to monetize information from subscribers that it was not in fact collecting.
Also Read:
How This Year’s Oscar Contenders Will Determine the Health of the Post-Pandemic Box Office
The executives also “devised fraudulent tactics to prevent MoviePass’ heavy users from using the service and falsely and misleadingly informed the public that...
- 9/27/2022
- by Eileen AJ Connelly
- The Wrap
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
101 Studios, the company behind series including “Yellowstone” and “Mayor of Kingstown,” has inked a first-look deal with Pzaj, Variety can exclusively reveal.
Pzaj, a global film and television production label formed by Phillip Glasser, Jason Brown, and Ash Greyson, is owned by Nasdaq-listed Vinco Ventures Inc. Vinco Ventures is currently merging with Zash Global Media.
Already in development under the new partnership are a feature film adaptation of LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke’s “Paradise Found,” a story about a small California town ravaged by fires that finds new hope in a football team that rises from the ashes of the devastation.
“Paradise Found” is set to be produced by Select Films’ Mark Ciardi, 101 Studios’ David C. Glasser and Pzaj’s Phillip Glasser and Jason Brown. 101’s David Hutkin and Bob Yari will exec produce alongside Ash Greyson of Pzaj and Ted Farnsworth and Ron Burkle.
101’s recently announced...
Pzaj, a global film and television production label formed by Phillip Glasser, Jason Brown, and Ash Greyson, is owned by Nasdaq-listed Vinco Ventures Inc. Vinco Ventures is currently merging with Zash Global Media.
Already in development under the new partnership are a feature film adaptation of LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke’s “Paradise Found,” a story about a small California town ravaged by fires that finds new hope in a football team that rises from the ashes of the devastation.
“Paradise Found” is set to be produced by Select Films’ Mark Ciardi, 101 Studios’ David C. Glasser and Pzaj’s Phillip Glasser and Jason Brown. 101’s David Hutkin and Bob Yari will exec produce alongside Ash Greyson of Pzaj and Ted Farnsworth and Ron Burkle.
101’s recently announced...
- 6/13/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
‘The Inventor Challenge’, an Indian adaptation of the popular Emmy award winning show ‘Everyday Edisons’, will bring brilliant minds to come to one platform and showcase their innovative ideas on stage. Colors Infinity announced the show on Friday. It will seek to find the next big inventor of India. Ted Farnsworth, Chairman – Zash Global […]...
- 2/18/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
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
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
FX released a new trailer for “American Horror Story: Double Feature,” the 10th season of “American Horror Story,” which premieres on FX on Aug. 25 at 10 p.m.
Each season of the horror anthology series follows new characters in a new setting, and this “Red Tide” trailer sees a struggling writer (Finn Wittrock), his pregnant wife (Lily Rabe) and their young daughter move to an isolated beach town with mysterious residents for the winter.
The series is executive produced by creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, along with Alexis Martin Woodall, John J. Gray and Manny Coto. Watch the trailer below.
Also in today’s TV news roundup:
First Looks
CBS Media Ventures released a trailer for “The Rachael Ray Show” premiering on Sept. 13. The trailer features Capital Cities’ song “One More Minute.” and clips of Ray garnishing dishes, drinking wine and laughing in her kitchen. Guests include Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz,...
Each season of the horror anthology series follows new characters in a new setting, and this “Red Tide” trailer sees a struggling writer (Finn Wittrock), his pregnant wife (Lily Rabe) and their young daughter move to an isolated beach town with mysterious residents for the winter.
The series is executive produced by creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, along with Alexis Martin Woodall, John J. Gray and Manny Coto. Watch the trailer below.
Also in today’s TV news roundup:
First Looks
CBS Media Ventures released a trailer for “The Rachael Ray Show” premiering on Sept. 13. The trailer features Capital Cities’ song “One More Minute.” and clips of Ray garnishing dishes, drinking wine and laughing in her kitchen. Guests include Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz,...
- 8/13/2021
- by Selome Hailu and Jennifer Yuma
- Variety Film + TV
MoviePass has been dead for nearly two years. But the execs behind ill-fated company have only just reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over charges that they misled customers and also failed to take reasonable steps to protect user data.
The principal executives of MoviePass — the theater-subscription company that shut down in September 2019 — reached a settlement with the FTC over the allegations, the agency announced Monday.
Under the proposed settlement with the FTC, MoviePass, Helios and Matheson Analytics, Mitch Lowe (former MoviePass CEO) and Ted Farnsworth (former Helios and Matheson CEO), will be “barred from misrepresenting their business and data security practices,” according to the agency. In addition, any businesses controlled by MoviePass, Helios or Lowe must “implement comprehensive information security programs.”
MoviePass in September 2019 notified remaining subscribers that it would be shutting down indefinitely, saying at the time that its “efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful to date.
The principal executives of MoviePass — the theater-subscription company that shut down in September 2019 — reached a settlement with the FTC over the allegations, the agency announced Monday.
Under the proposed settlement with the FTC, MoviePass, Helios and Matheson Analytics, Mitch Lowe (former MoviePass CEO) and Ted Farnsworth (former Helios and Matheson CEO), will be “barred from misrepresenting their business and data security practices,” according to the agency. In addition, any businesses controlled by MoviePass, Helios or Lowe must “implement comprehensive information security programs.”
MoviePass in September 2019 notified remaining subscribers that it would be shutting down indefinitely, saying at the time that its “efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful to date.
- 6/7/2021
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Comedian Matt Oswalt once said, “so far 2021 is just 2020 with bangs.” Perhaps nothing encapsulates that sentiment more than the possibility that MoviePass, the Icarus of subscription services, may rise again from the ashes.
MoviePass launched in 2017 and offered customers the option to see one movie per day for $9.99 a month. Though popular, considering the amount was less than a single movie ticket in most cities, the price proved to be economically ruinous. In early 2020, Helios and Matheson Analytics, which owned MoviePass, filed for bankruptcy after running out of cash.
On Tuesday, a MoviePass website launched a countdown clock — set to end on Monday, March 22 — and a tagline “the movie is about to start.”
What does that portentous message mean? Don’t ask Mitch Lowe, the former CEO of MoviePass.
In an email, Lowe said, “I have no idea. It has nothing to do with me.”
Representatives for MoviePass did not...
MoviePass launched in 2017 and offered customers the option to see one movie per day for $9.99 a month. Though popular, considering the amount was less than a single movie ticket in most cities, the price proved to be economically ruinous. In early 2020, Helios and Matheson Analytics, which owned MoviePass, filed for bankruptcy after running out of cash.
On Tuesday, a MoviePass website launched a countdown clock — set to end on Monday, March 22 — and a tagline “the movie is about to start.”
What does that portentous message mean? Don’t ask Mitch Lowe, the former CEO of MoviePass.
In an email, Lowe said, “I have no idea. It has nothing to do with me.”
Representatives for MoviePass did not...
- 3/16/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Singapore, Feb 23 (Ians) Zash Global Media and Entertainment Corp. on Tuesday said it has inked a deal to acquire a majority controlling interest in Lomotif, a Singapore-based video-sharing social networking platform and budding rival to TikTok.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Zash is backed by former MoviePass Chairman Ted Farnsworth, early Musical.ly investor Jaeson Ma, and early Triller visionary Vincent Butta.
The closing of the Lomotif acquisition by Zash is scheduled to occur concurrently with the closing of Zash's merger and business combination with Vinco Ventures, Inc. which was previously announced in January, the company said.
The closing of the Lomotif acquisition is subject to certain customary conditions, it added.
Upon completion of the merger between Zash and Vinco, Zash will become a public company and controlling shareholder of Vinco, making Lomotif a video-sharing social networking platform to be owned by a US publicly traded company,...
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Zash is backed by former MoviePass Chairman Ted Farnsworth, early Musical.ly investor Jaeson Ma, and early Triller visionary Vincent Butta.
The closing of the Lomotif acquisition by Zash is scheduled to occur concurrently with the closing of Zash's merger and business combination with Vinco Ventures, Inc. which was previously announced in January, the company said.
The closing of the Lomotif acquisition is subject to certain customary conditions, it added.
Upon completion of the merger between Zash and Vinco, Zash will become a public company and controlling shareholder of Vinco, making Lomotif a video-sharing social networking platform to be owned by a US publicly traded company,...
- 2/23/2021
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Zash Global Media and Entertainment, co-founded by former MoviePass chairman Ted Farnsworth, has struck a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Lomotif, a Singapore-based video-sharing social networking platform a la TikTok that encourages users to “turn your favorite moments into a music video.”
Financial details weren’t disclosed.
Zash, which was also founded by early Musical.ly (now TikTok) investor Jaeson Ma and Vincent Butta, who sits on the board of social media platform Triller, operates a social influencer platform and wants to develop “an evolved network of synergetic companies working together to disrupt the media ...
Financial details weren’t disclosed.
Zash, which was also founded by early Musical.ly (now TikTok) investor Jaeson Ma and Vincent Butta, who sits on the board of social media platform Triller, operates a social influencer platform and wants to develop “an evolved network of synergetic companies working together to disrupt the media ...
- 2/23/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Zash Global Media and Entertainment, co-founded by former MoviePass chairman Ted Farnsworth, has struck a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Lomotif, a Singapore-based video-sharing social networking platform a la TikTok that encourages users to “turn your favorite moments into a music video.”
Financial details weren’t disclosed.
Zash, which was also founded by early Musical.ly (now TikTok) investor Jaeson Ma and Vincent Butta, who sits on the board of social media platform Triller, operates a social influencer platform and wants to develop “an evolved network of synergetic companies working together to disrupt the media ...
Financial details weren’t disclosed.
Zash, which was also founded by early Musical.ly (now TikTok) investor Jaeson Ma and Vincent Butta, who sits on the board of social media platform Triller, operates a social influencer platform and wants to develop “an evolved network of synergetic companies working together to disrupt the media ...
- 2/23/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Exclusive: The Biggest Loser and The Day I Met El Chapo producer David Broome is lining up an all-access documentary about the rise and fall of controversial subscription-based ticketing service MoviePass.
Broome will produce through his 25/7 Productions banner and has secured participation from former MoviePass Chairman Ted Farnsworth and former company CEO Mitch Lowe, who will both be among talking heads.
Pre-production is underway on the film, which we are told will also include interviews with exhibition execs from the likes of AMC, Regal and Cinemark, as well as studio execs, financiers and media. Broome also tells us that discussions are already in play with distributors for the film.
Described as a deep dive into the weeds of the changing film business, the feature will explore MoviePass’s tumultuous journey but also broader disruption in the film and content ecosystem.
Initially founded in 2011, MoviePass’s trajectory will act as...
Broome will produce through his 25/7 Productions banner and has secured participation from former MoviePass Chairman Ted Farnsworth and former company CEO Mitch Lowe, who will both be among talking heads.
Pre-production is underway on the film, which we are told will also include interviews with exhibition execs from the likes of AMC, Regal and Cinemark, as well as studio execs, financiers and media. Broome also tells us that discussions are already in play with distributors for the film.
Described as a deep dive into the weeds of the changing film business, the feature will explore MoviePass’s tumultuous journey but also broader disruption in the film and content ecosystem.
Initially founded in 2011, MoviePass’s trajectory will act as...
- 2/10/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Well, it finally happened: MoviePass’s parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, is over, having filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation.
The decision, shared in a Tuesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, means the company will be sold for parts. The company said in its filing that it may owe up to $1.2 million to roughly 12,000 customers, which is about $100 each.
“As a result of filing the Petition, a Chapter 7 trustee will be appointed by the Bankruptcy Court to administer the estate of the Company and to perform the duties set forth in Section 704 of the Code,” the SEC filing stated.
Also Read: MoviePass to Shutdown Indefinitely on Sept. 14
Shares of Helios and Matheson plummeted nearly 83% on Tuesday, trading at nearly zero, and overall, have declined 96% in the last year.
In addition to filing for bankruptcy, Helios and Matheson board members Prathap Singh, Gavriel Ralbag, Muralikrishna Gadiyaram and Joseph Fried all tendered their resignations.
The decision, shared in a Tuesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, means the company will be sold for parts. The company said in its filing that it may owe up to $1.2 million to roughly 12,000 customers, which is about $100 each.
“As a result of filing the Petition, a Chapter 7 trustee will be appointed by the Bankruptcy Court to administer the estate of the Company and to perform the duties set forth in Section 704 of the Code,” the SEC filing stated.
Also Read: MoviePass to Shutdown Indefinitely on Sept. 14
Shares of Helios and Matheson plummeted nearly 83% on Tuesday, trading at nearly zero, and overall, have declined 96% in the last year.
In addition to filing for bankruptcy, Helios and Matheson board members Prathap Singh, Gavriel Ralbag, Muralikrishna Gadiyaram and Joseph Fried all tendered their resignations.
- 1/29/2020
- by Trey Williams and Sean Burch
- The Wrap
Helios and Matheson Analytics, which owns the defunct MoviePass cinema-subscription service, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.
The company disclosed the move in an SEC filing dated Jan. 28, when Helios and Mathenson filed the petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code dissolves an entity, whose assets are sold off to repay creditors.
In its bankruptcy filing, Helios and Matheson listed the estimated value of assets at between $1 million-$10 million and $60.9 million in total creditor claims.
The bankruptcy filing comes after MoviePass in September 2019 notified remaining subscribers that it would be shutting down indefinitely because “its efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful to date.” Ted Farnsworth, the former Helios and Matheson CEO who engineered the 2017 acquisition of MoviePass, subsequently submitted an offer to buy the New York-based company but obviously that didn’t come to pass.
The company disclosed the move in an SEC filing dated Jan. 28, when Helios and Mathenson filed the petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code dissolves an entity, whose assets are sold off to repay creditors.
In its bankruptcy filing, Helios and Matheson listed the estimated value of assets at between $1 million-$10 million and $60.9 million in total creditor claims.
The bankruptcy filing comes after MoviePass in September 2019 notified remaining subscribers that it would be shutting down indefinitely because “its efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful to date.” Ted Farnsworth, the former Helios and Matheson CEO who engineered the 2017 acquisition of MoviePass, subsequently submitted an offer to buy the New York-based company but obviously that didn’t come to pass.
- 1/29/2020
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Ted Farnsworth still believes that MoviePass, the high-flying subscription service that crashed to Earth in spectacular fashion, can soar again. The former head of Helios and Matheson Analytics, the data company that bought MoviePass in 2017 and turned it into a phenomenon by allowing customers to see a movie per day for $9.99 a month, has submitted a bid to buy back the shuttered company.
“We made the company a household name in two years and we disrupted the industry,” Farnsworth said in an interview with Variety. “We put hundreds of millions of dollars into the company, and I don’t want to just cut our losses.”
He added, “It’s something that we can reshape and rebuild. It will take time, but I think we can revitalize the whole brand.”
At its height, MoviePass attracted some 3 million subscribers, but its low prices left it struggling to make money. It experimented with...
“We made the company a household name in two years and we disrupted the industry,” Farnsworth said in an interview with Variety. “We put hundreds of millions of dollars into the company, and I don’t want to just cut our losses.”
He added, “It’s something that we can reshape and rebuild. It will take time, but I think we can revitalize the whole brand.”
At its height, MoviePass attracted some 3 million subscribers, but its low prices left it struggling to make money. It experimented with...
- 9/17/2019
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Ted Farnsworth, the financier who helped set in motion MoviePass’s meteoric rise and precipitous fall, has submitted an offer to purchase the beleaguered subscription service and its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc.
Financial terms of the offer were not disclosed, but Farnsworth, who served as Helios’ chairman and chief executive officer is also looking to buy MoviePass Films, a film production company that the company started in 2018, as well as Moviefone, the movie listing and information service it bought that same year.
The offer comes four days after Helios and Matheson announced it was shuttering the money-hemorrhaging service. Many subscribers had already fled, as the company experimented with different pricing models in a bid to survive. At its height the company boasted 3 million customers.
In order to avoid any conflicts of interest, Farnsworth said he had stepped down from his roles at the company and from his...
Financial terms of the offer were not disclosed, but Farnsworth, who served as Helios’ chairman and chief executive officer is also looking to buy MoviePass Films, a film production company that the company started in 2018, as well as Moviefone, the movie listing and information service it bought that same year.
The offer comes four days after Helios and Matheson announced it was shuttering the money-hemorrhaging service. Many subscribers had already fled, as the company experimented with different pricing models in a bid to survive. At its height the company boasted 3 million customers.
In order to avoid any conflicts of interest, Farnsworth said he had stepped down from his roles at the company and from his...
- 9/17/2019
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
MoviePass may not be done just yet. The CEO of Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc, parent company of the now-suspended theatrical movie subscription service, resigned on Monday and submitted a bid to buy the company and take it private, he told TheWrap. “I put in an official offer to buy all the assets of Helios and Matheson, which is the owner of MoviePass, MoviePass Films and Moviefone,” Ted Farnsworth told TheWrap. “We’re looking to expedite and be one of the bidders out there. I believe in the brand.” He may need a lot more than belief. After bleeding tens of millions of dollars and tens of thousands of subscribers, MoviePass shut down on Friday, citing an inability to raise additional capital. Also Read: MoviePass to Shutdown Indefinitely on Sept. 14 The problems had been multiplying for months and many observers predicted the demise of a service whose business model seemed...
- 9/17/2019
- by Sharon Waxman and Trey Williams
- The Wrap
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 Man in the High Castle actor Carsten Norgaard is set to appear in Axis Sally, the Michael Polish-directed drama about the real-life story of Mildred “Axis Sally” Gillars, the American who unwittingly became the voice of German propaganda targeted to U.S. troops during World War II. Al Pacino and Meadow Williams star in the film, which was adapted by Vance Owen and Darryl Hicks based on William Owen’s book Axis Sally Confidential.
Norgaard will play program director Max Otto Koischwitz for the USA Zone and head of propaganda targeting U.S. troops during WWII.
Production is currently underway. MoviePass Films CEOs Randall Emmett and George Furla are producing with Owen and Tucker Tooley. Executive producers are Ted Farnsworth, Williams, Lydia Hull, and MoviePass Films’ Tim Sullivan and Alex Eckert.
Norgaard is repped by D2 Management.
Norgaard will play program director Max Otto Koischwitz for the USA Zone and head of propaganda targeting U.S. troops during WWII.
Production is currently underway. MoviePass Films CEOs Randall Emmett and George Furla are producing with Owen and Tucker Tooley. Executive producers are Ted Farnsworth, Williams, Lydia Hull, and MoviePass Films’ Tim Sullivan and Alex Eckert.
Norgaard is repped by D2 Management.
- 4/12/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
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
As MoviePass and MoviePass Films comes under the Moviefone umbrella, the Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc. subsidiary has tapped former Rotten Tomatoes Senior Editor, Grae Drake, as “Ms. Moviefone” to become their leading brand personality. The announcement comes as Moviefone emerges as a new venture and premier destination for content, reviews and commentary.
As the new face of Moviefone, Drake will engage with the film community by interviewing filmmakers and celebrities, and she’ll appear at industry events to provide an inside look at the movies. Drake will be responsible for producing and hosting a series of new original video content that will live on the Moviefone site. She will also oversee the evolution of existing video content, such as the well-known “Unscripted” series, providing Moviefone with the flexibility to continue creating and growing its video library.
Former Rotten Tomatoes Editor-in-Chief Matt Atchity and Grace Kang negotiated the deal on behalf of Moviefone,...
As the new face of Moviefone, Drake will engage with the film community by interviewing filmmakers and celebrities, and she’ll appear at industry events to provide an inside look at the movies. Drake will be responsible for producing and hosting a series of new original video content that will live on the Moviefone site. She will also oversee the evolution of existing video content, such as the well-known “Unscripted” series, providing Moviefone with the flexibility to continue creating and growing its video library.
Former Rotten Tomatoes Editor-in-Chief Matt Atchity and Grace Kang negotiated the deal on behalf of Moviefone,...
- 3/28/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
MoviePass’ Select, All Access and Red Carpet plans no longer available for purchase.
After a tumultuous 19-month ride and financial woes sparked by unexpected uptake on its low-cost unlimited subscription plan, MoviePass brass announced on Tuesday (19) it was introducing a new uncapped plan.
The plan is priced $9.95 for an unspecified limited time and is available effective immediately for a 12-month subscription when paid in advance.
Subscribers who want to pay monthly will be charged $14.95 per month for an unspecified limited time. The standard price of MoviePass Uncapped will be $19.95 per month upon the expiration of the limited time offers.
The...
After a tumultuous 19-month ride and financial woes sparked by unexpected uptake on its low-cost unlimited subscription plan, MoviePass brass announced on Tuesday (19) it was introducing a new uncapped plan.
The plan is priced $9.95 for an unspecified limited time and is available effective immediately for a 12-month subscription when paid in advance.
Subscribers who want to pay monthly will be charged $14.95 per month for an unspecified limited time. The standard price of MoviePass Uncapped will be $19.95 per month upon the expiration of the limited time offers.
The...
- 3/19/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
MoviePass’ Select, All Access and Red Carpet plans no longer available for purchase.
After a tumultuous 19-month ride and financial woes sparked by unexpected uptake on its low-cost unlimited subscription plan, MoviePass brass announced on Tuesday (19) it was introducing a new uncapped plan.
The plan is priced $9.95 for an unspecified limited time and is available effective immediately for a 12-month subscription when paid in advance.
Subscribers who want to pay monthly will be charged $14.95 per month for an unspecified limited time. The standard price of MoviePass Uncapped will be $19.95 per month upon the expiration of the limited time offers.
The...
After a tumultuous 19-month ride and financial woes sparked by unexpected uptake on its low-cost unlimited subscription plan, MoviePass brass announced on Tuesday (19) it was introducing a new uncapped plan.
The plan is priced $9.95 for an unspecified limited time and is available effective immediately for a 12-month subscription when paid in advance.
Subscribers who want to pay monthly will be charged $14.95 per month for an unspecified limited time. The standard price of MoviePass Uncapped will be $19.95 per month upon the expiration of the limited time offers.
The...
- 3/19/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
MoviePass, which has experimented with a range of subscription schemes in recent months, is rolling out an “uncapped” movie-per-day plan that will be $9.95 for those who pay for 12 months in advance.
The plan costs $14.95 on a month-to-month basis, and the company (a unit of Helios and Matheson Analytics) cautioned that the pricing will be available only for a limited time. After the promotional period, which the company did not specify, the standard price of $19.95 will take effect.
The Select, All Access and Red Carpet subscription plans, introduced in December 2018, are no longer available for purchase, but the company said they will remain effective and working for users who subscribed to them.
While the press release announcing the new plan touts it as “uncapped,” there are some restrictions. Subscribers can see only 2D films within the MoviePass network, which spans about 30,000 U.S. screens, and the release noted that ticketing is...
The plan costs $14.95 on a month-to-month basis, and the company (a unit of Helios and Matheson Analytics) cautioned that the pricing will be available only for a limited time. After the promotional period, which the company did not specify, the standard price of $19.95 will take effect.
The Select, All Access and Red Carpet subscription plans, introduced in December 2018, are no longer available for purchase, but the company said they will remain effective and working for users who subscribed to them.
While the press release announcing the new plan touts it as “uncapped,” there are some restrictions. Subscribers can see only 2D films within the MoviePass network, which spans about 30,000 U.S. screens, and the release noted that ticketing is...
- 3/19/2019
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
MoviePass is reintroducing an unlimited subscription plan, 7 months after it restricted customers to just 3 movies per month.
The new unlimited plan offers subscribers one movie ticket a day at two price points: A full year plan that works out to the service’s original $9.95 per month — available for customers who pay $119.40 for a year subscription up front –and a $14.95 month-to-month option. These price points will only be available for a limited time, but the plans themselves will be available moving forward, Ted Farnsworth, CEO of MoviePass parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics, told TheWrap
“It will be unfettered just like MoviePass was before,” Farnsworth said. “Over the last several months we really wanted to slow everything down and look at all the fraud and misuse. We’ve continued to raise money and, with MoviePass itself, [we’re] taking a step back and figuring out how to move forward.”
Also Read: MoviePass to...
The new unlimited plan offers subscribers one movie ticket a day at two price points: A full year plan that works out to the service’s original $9.95 per month — available for customers who pay $119.40 for a year subscription up front –and a $14.95 month-to-month option. These price points will only be available for a limited time, but the plans themselves will be available moving forward, Ted Farnsworth, CEO of MoviePass parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics, told TheWrap
“It will be unfettered just like MoviePass was before,” Farnsworth said. “Over the last several months we really wanted to slow everything down and look at all the fraud and misuse. We’ve continued to raise money and, with MoviePass itself, [we’re] taking a step back and figuring out how to move forward.”
Also Read: MoviePass to...
- 3/19/2019
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
Bobby Roth has been hired to direct The Last Rescue, a political thriller about a seasoned Muslim freelance journalist and a Hollywood movie star who form an unlikely partnership to heroically smuggle children out of a besieged Syrian village. Eric J. Adams and Sam Khoze are producing the indie, which was co-written by Todd Tavolazzi, Roth, and Nicholas Roth based Tavolazzi’s novel Looking Into the Sun. Simone White, Lisa Osinloye and Ojan Missaghi of New York-based Ten Ten Global Media will serve as exec producers. Roth has directed numerous episodes for TV including Prison Break, Criminal Minds and Lost. Adams, who is also a screenwriter and investigative journalist, served on the production team and wrote the screenplay for Supremacy, starring Danny Glover and Mahershala Ali. Khoze is the producer behind 1st Born, with Val Kilmer and Denise Richards.
Actress Catherine Davis has been cast in Trauma Center,...
Actress Catherine Davis has been cast in Trauma Center,...
- 3/14/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Just months after being elevated to Executive Vice President and manager of day-to-day operations at MoviePass, Khalid Itum, has left the struggling subscription moviegoing company.
Until his promotion last fall, Itum previously served as Vice President of Business Development, working with CEO Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, CEO of parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics. As of Friday, Lowe will take over Itum’s responsibilities. The writing may have been on the wall last week when the company sent a press release about its new path as a company and Itum was never mentioned.
“As previously stated, MoviePass has moved in a new strategic direction and will be refocusing our business model to create a more closely connected relationship between our subscription service and original content production unit, MoviePass Films,” MoviePass said in a statement. “This strategic shift has been accompanied by changes within the company. Khalid Itum will be...
Until his promotion last fall, Itum previously served as Vice President of Business Development, working with CEO Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, CEO of parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics. As of Friday, Lowe will take over Itum’s responsibilities. The writing may have been on the wall last week when the company sent a press release about its new path as a company and Itum was never mentioned.
“As previously stated, MoviePass has moved in a new strategic direction and will be refocusing our business model to create a more closely connected relationship between our subscription service and original content production unit, MoviePass Films,” MoviePass said in a statement. “This strategic shift has been accompanied by changes within the company. Khalid Itum will be...
- 3/13/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka and Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
MoviePass said on Wednesday that executive vice president Khalid Itum has resigned from the movie-going subscription service just three months after the company announced he had taken over the role.
The company said on Wednesday that in addition to Itum, several other individuals would be leaving and, or transitioning as the company tries to transform its business and change its fortunes. There was no pressure for Itum to leave the company, an individual close to MoviePass said.
“As previously stated, MoviePass has moved in a new strategic direction, and will be refocusing our business model to create a more closely connected relationship between our subscription service and original content production unit, MoviePass Films,” the company said in a statement. “This strategic shift has been accompanied by changes within the company. Khalid Itum will be leaving MoviePass to pursue his entrepreneurial and travel pursuits. Mitch Lowe will assume all of Itum’s roles and responsibilities,...
The company said on Wednesday that in addition to Itum, several other individuals would be leaving and, or transitioning as the company tries to transform its business and change its fortunes. There was no pressure for Itum to leave the company, an individual close to MoviePass said.
“As previously stated, MoviePass has moved in a new strategic direction, and will be refocusing our business model to create a more closely connected relationship between our subscription service and original content production unit, MoviePass Films,” the company said in a statement. “This strategic shift has been accompanied by changes within the company. Khalid Itum will be leaving MoviePass to pursue his entrepreneurial and travel pursuits. Mitch Lowe will assume all of Itum’s roles and responsibilities,...
- 3/13/2019
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
In its latest effort to shore up finances, MoviePass has announced plans for a new business model it says will prioritize self-generated revenue instead of reliance on earnings from exhibitors and studios.
The plan is to forge “a much more interconnected” relationship between the company’s monthly movie theater subscription service and the film production business it launched last year, MoviePass Films, according to a statement released Wednesday. The company will make the films it produces available to MoviePass subscribers, which it hopes will both increase the film’s box office potential, and lead to an expansion of the subscription service itself.
As part of this plan, the company says MoviePass Films will accelerate production of projects for theatrical release, and increase distribution deals for retail, home video, and transactional and international sales. The company says it will also emphasize “technology development,” and stepped up fraud prevention efforts.
The effort...
The plan is to forge “a much more interconnected” relationship between the company’s monthly movie theater subscription service and the film production business it launched last year, MoviePass Films, according to a statement released Wednesday. The company will make the films it produces available to MoviePass subscribers, which it hopes will both increase the film’s box office potential, and lead to an expansion of the subscription service itself.
As part of this plan, the company says MoviePass Films will accelerate production of projects for theatrical release, and increase distribution deals for retail, home video, and transactional and international sales. The company says it will also emphasize “technology development,” and stepped up fraud prevention efforts.
The effort...
- 3/6/2019
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
New focus on subscriptions, original productions, Moviefone portal.
MoviePass, the theatrical subscription service whose tumultuous journey has made the headlines consistently over the past 18 months, has changed strategy as it attempts to remain viable “without dependence on studios or exhibitors”.
According to a statement released on Wednesday (6), the new plan will focus on “technological innovation and high-quality content production through our three key channels”: the MoviePass theatrical subscription service, content producer MoviePass Films (the joint venture between MoviePass parent company Helios And Matheson Analytics Inc and Emmett Furla Oasis Films), and Moviefone, the entertainment portal and advertising service that...
MoviePass, the theatrical subscription service whose tumultuous journey has made the headlines consistently over the past 18 months, has changed strategy as it attempts to remain viable “without dependence on studios or exhibitors”.
According to a statement released on Wednesday (6), the new plan will focus on “technological innovation and high-quality content production through our three key channels”: the MoviePass theatrical subscription service, content producer MoviePass Films (the joint venture between MoviePass parent company Helios And Matheson Analytics Inc and Emmett Furla Oasis Films), and Moviefone, the entertainment portal and advertising service that...
- 3/6/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Thomas Kretschmann, Mitch Pileggi and Lala Kent have joined the cast of Axis Sally, the MoviePass Films movie that stars Al Pacino and Meadow Williams in the real-life story of Mildred “Axis Sally” Gillars, the American who unwittingly became the voice of German propaganda targeted to U.S. troops during World War II. The $25 million film begins shooting this week in Puerto Rico.
Michael Polish is directing the film that was adapted by Vance Owen and Darryl Hicks based on William Owen’s book Axis Sally Confidential. Randall Emmett and George Furla are producing with Owen and Tucker Tooley. Ted Farnsworth will executive produce alongside Williams, Vance Owen and Lydia Hull, and MoviePass Films’ Tim Sullivan and Alex Eckert.
Williams is playing Gillars, and Pacino will play the attorney who represented her once she was arrested and put on trial in the U.S. for treason. Kretschmann will play Joseph Goebbels,...
Michael Polish is directing the film that was adapted by Vance Owen and Darryl Hicks based on William Owen’s book Axis Sally Confidential. Randall Emmett and George Furla are producing with Owen and Tucker Tooley. Ted Farnsworth will executive produce alongside Williams, Vance Owen and Lydia Hull, and MoviePass Films’ Tim Sullivan and Alex Eckert.
Williams is playing Gillars, and Pacino will play the attorney who represented her once she was arrested and put on trial in the U.S. for treason. Kretschmann will play Joseph Goebbels,...
- 2/11/2019
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Production to commence on March 12 on first in three-film pact between star and MoviePass Films.
Buyers have responded strongly at Efm to Trauma Center, the first in the three-film pact between Bruce Willis and MoviePass Films that Highland Film Group has licensed in multiple territories.
Studiocanal has acquired rights to the hospital-set action thriller for France, YouPlanet for Spain, MisLabel for Scandinavia, Iif for Italy, Dutch Filmworks for Benelux, and Cinemundo for Portugal.
Elsewhere Trauma Center has gone in the Middle East (Falcon), Eastern Europe and South Africa (Daro), Japan (Nikkatsu), China (Vision), South Korea (Andamiro), Indonesia (Prima), Turkey and...
Buyers have responded strongly at Efm to Trauma Center, the first in the three-film pact between Bruce Willis and MoviePass Films that Highland Film Group has licensed in multiple territories.
Studiocanal has acquired rights to the hospital-set action thriller for France, YouPlanet for Spain, MisLabel for Scandinavia, Iif for Italy, Dutch Filmworks for Benelux, and Cinemundo for Portugal.
Elsewhere Trauma Center has gone in the Middle East (Falcon), Eastern Europe and South Africa (Daro), Japan (Nikkatsu), China (Vision), South Korea (Andamiro), Indonesia (Prima), Turkey and...
- 2/11/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Jack Ryan actor Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy, who played Jimmy Olsen in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, will lead Breaking Fast, a romantic comedy about a gay Muslim navigating life, love, and loss during the holy month of Ramadan. Mike Mosallam wrote and directed the indie feature, which is based on his 2016 Cannes short film of the same name. Set in West Hollywood, the film centers on Mo (Sleiman), a practicing Muslim still reeling from heartbreak, when an All-American named Kal (Cassidy) offers to join him in his nightly Iftars, the traditional meal eaten by Muslims during Ramadan after sunset, the two start to discover they have more in common than meets the eye. Amin El Gamal ( Prison Break), Patrick Sabongui (Homeland), Christopher J. Hanke (Odd Mom Out), Brian Dare (Jane the Virgin), Aline Elasmar (unReal), and Veronica Cartwright (Alien) round out the supporting cast. Producers are Seth Hauer,...
- 2/8/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
MoviePass Films has just signed Bruce Willis up for a three-picture deal. I’m actually pretty surprised that MoviePass is still around, but they’ve just landed one of the greatest action stars of all-time to help continue to build their brand and business.
It’s not surprising that Willis has signed on to do this, after all he has a long relationship with MoviePass Films CEOs and Co-founders Randall Emmett, George Furla, and Ted Farnsworth. Willis has made 14 films with these guys over the years before they jumped onto MoviePass Films.
Willis recently finished shooting the film 10 Minutes Gone for MoviePass Films, which is currently in post-production. However, the first film under this new deal will be called Trauma Center. There are no details on the film, but it was written by Paul da Silva and it will start shooting in February in Miami.
Emmett had this to...
It’s not surprising that Willis has signed on to do this, after all he has a long relationship with MoviePass Films CEOs and Co-founders Randall Emmett, George Furla, and Ted Farnsworth. Willis has made 14 films with these guys over the years before they jumped onto MoviePass Films.
Willis recently finished shooting the film 10 Minutes Gone for MoviePass Films, which is currently in post-production. However, the first film under this new deal will be called Trauma Center. There are no details on the film, but it was written by Paul da Silva and it will start shooting in February in Miami.
Emmett had this to...
- 12/19/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Exclusive: Bruce Willis has made a three-picture deal with MoviePass Films. MoviePass Films CEOs and Co-founders Randall Emmett, George Furla, and Ted Farnsworth set the deal.
It solidified a long relationship that Willis has had with Emmett/Furla/Oasis. He has made 14 films with them, with 10 Minutes Gone in post-production and past efforts that include the Richard Donner-directed 16 Blocks and the Stephen Frears-helmed Lay the Favorite.
The first in the new three-pic pact will be Trauma Center, written by Paul da Silva. It will begin shooting in February in Miami. Additional casting is underway on the film. Emmett, Furla and Lydia Hull will produce Trauma Center, while Ted Farnsworth, Tim Sullivan and Alex Eckert will executive produce.
Speaking on the relationship between the company and Willis, Emmett said: “We consider Bruce a part of the MoviePass family at this point. Bruce is not only one of the biggest...
It solidified a long relationship that Willis has had with Emmett/Furla/Oasis. He has made 14 films with them, with 10 Minutes Gone in post-production and past efforts that include the Richard Donner-directed 16 Blocks and the Stephen Frears-helmed Lay the Favorite.
The first in the new three-pic pact will be Trauma Center, written by Paul da Silva. It will begin shooting in February in Miami. Additional casting is underway on the film. Emmett, Furla and Lydia Hull will produce Trauma Center, while Ted Farnsworth, Tim Sullivan and Alex Eckert will executive produce.
Speaking on the relationship between the company and Willis, Emmett said: “We consider Bruce a part of the MoviePass family at this point. Bruce is not only one of the biggest...
- 12/18/2018
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
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