ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Almost nobody likes to sit in the front row of a movie theater, and AMC knows it. The cinema chain plans to roll out a new pricing structure. Those willing to crane their necks will get a discount. And, yes, the better seats will cost more, as NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports.
ELIZABETH BLAIR, BYLINE: Sightline at AMC is the name of this new pricing scheme.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "80 FOR BRADY")
LILY TOMLIN: (As Lou) It's just a reveal.
SALLY FIELD: (As Betty) Of what?
BLAIR: Of what isn't exactly clear. AMC hasn't said how much tickets will cost, but the prices will be broken down by section - value, standard and preferred. The cost of your ticket will depend on the quality of your seat.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) Treat them as our brothers and sisters.
BLAIR: Treating all consumers equally is not what this is about, as far as actor Elijah Wood is concerned. On social media, he complained that a movie theater is a, quote, "democratic space" and that AMC's new pricing would penalize people for lower income and reward for higher income.
PAUL DERGARABEDIAN: It may cause a little consternation with a lot of consumers who are very price-sensitive.
BLAIR: Paul Dergarabedian is a senior media analyst with Comscore. The movie industry suffered during the pandemic. It's on the rebound but hasn't fully recovered.
DERGARABEDIAN: I mean, it seems like a time where it would be best just to let it ride and keep traditional pricing because now we're getting more back to, quote-unquote, "normal" box office.
BLAIR: On the other hand, he says there are a lot of big movies coming out soon.
DERGARABEDIAN: "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One," "Indiana Jones 5," "Barbie," "Wonka." I mean, there's - I could go on and on. So there's a really strong slate of films set for 2023. And AMC may feel like, look. We're going to have a great lineup here for you, so we can get creative with the ticket pricing structure.
BLAIR: It helps that AMC is the largest theater chain in the U.S. AMC did not respond to a request for comment. Elizabeth Blair, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
