As MoviePass Struggles To Survive, AMC Gloats Its Subscription Service Has "Far Exceeded" Projections

Did you really think AMC Theatres would just sit by and let MoviePass flounder without rubbing just a little salt in the wound?

Today, AMC released the first data on their MoviePass-esque subscription service and is touting growth beyond their wildest expectations. According to Deadline, AMC’s Stubs A-List service has enlisted over 175,000 paying subscribers in just five weeks of availability. While this number still pales in comparison to MoviePass’ 3+ million subscribers, AMC only projected 500,000 by June 2019. And with these numbers, the company is well on its way to beating those projections by the end of 2018.

As mentioned, MoviePass has made headlines over the last several days for all the wrong reasons. From multiple service outages to raising their price and blackout dates for first-run films, the subscription service is in a freefall, desperate to stay in business. On the other hand, AMC’s statement today is filled with hope and enthusiasm.

AMC CEO and president Adam Aron said in a statement, “We are nothing less than ecstatic about the early consumer response to AMC Stubs A-List, which encourages moviegoers to come to the theatre more often, bringing their family and friends with them. With more than 175,000 members enrolled in just five weeks, the growth of AMC Stubs A-List has far exceeded our projections. We also find it reassuring that we consciously designed AMC Stubs A-List to be a profitable program with a price point that is loaded with consumer value while also being sustainable for us and for our guests.”

And to make sure that everyone knew he had MoviePass in his sights, Aron continued to say, “AListers get a choice of every movie including the newest blockbusters, in every format including IMAX, Dolby Cinema and RealD 3D, at every U.S. AMC location, bookable online and in advance, with no annoying or unreasonable surge/peak pricing, up to three times per week, all for just $19.95 per month (plus tax).”

That last bit is direct shade thrown at MoviePass, who today announced their monthly fee has climbed from $9.95 to $14.95 a month. The service will also start restricting which films subscribers will be able to see, as blockbusters opening in over 1,000 screens will be blocked for two weeks. This is on top of the already-implemented Peak Pricing, which adds a surcharge to films that MoviePass deems as popular.

Now, with only a $5 difference in the monthly fee, will AMC see a boom in subscriptions to their Stubs A-List service?