On paper, it was too good to be true: a theatrical movie subscription service that offers a movie ticket every day for $9.99 a month. But in 2017, MoviePass was a dream come true for moviegoers, with subscribers flocking, stocks rising, and investors trying to get in on the action. By 2019, however, the party was over, and MoviePass went from one of the world’s buzziest companies to a costly corporate misfire.
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“MoviePass, MovieCrash,” a new documentary from HBO, details the company’s rise and fall in unflinching detail. It’s all here: details about the original vision for MoviePass, its co-founders ousting by new execs who partied hard at Sundance and Cannes as the company sank, and how much value was lost as the company met a swift demise.
Here’s an official synopsis for “MoviePass, MovieCrash,” courtesy of HBO:
In a span of eight years, MoviePass went from being the fastest growing subscription service since Spotify to total bankruptcy, losing over $150 million in 2017 alone. MOVIEPASS, MOVIECRASH chronicles the company’s beginnings as an innovative movie ticketing model beloved by cinema goers, exploring the visionary mission of its entrepreneur co-founders, its impressive early successes, and its precipitous downfall caused by mismanagement and corporate greed.
“MoviePass, MovieCrash” features exclusive interviews with former CEO Mitch Lowe, the MoviePass co-founders, board member Chris Kelly, former employees, investors, subscribers, industry analysts, and Business Insider journalists Nathan McAlone and Jason Guerrasio.
Muta’Ali directs “MoviePass, MovieCrash,” his first film since last year’s “Cassius X: Becoming Ali.” Mark Wahlberg leads producers with Stephen Levinson, Archie Gips, Jack Heller, Scott Veltri, Jevon Frank, and David Wendell. Muta’Ali, Guerrasio, and Joel Stonington executive produce the doc. Other co-executive producers include Jennifer Leamy and Javier Quintana. Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller also executive produce through HBO. Anna Klein serves a supervising producer. “MoviePass, MovieCrash” is an Unrealistic Ideas production, an Assemble Media production, in association with Nightbrain Pictures and Tower Way.
Watch a trailer for “MoviePass, MovieCrash” below. The doc premieres on HBO and Max on May 29.
