AMC to charge more for best movie theater seats, less for worst

COVID-19, a pandemic that ravaged the cinema theater sector, was accompanied by simultaneous success of The Way of Water Avatar and the cratering of most of this year’s Oscar nominees at the box office, is still climbing back to some semblance of normalcy. But just the movies are back doesn’t mean the business has steadied; if anything, AMC Theatres’ new decision to charge more for decent seats forecasts a future where everything is for sale in order to stay afloat.

On Monday, the theater chain announced a new program, “Sightline at AMC,” which breaks theater seating into tiers of varying value. According to a news release, Standard Sightline seats are the “most common in auditoriums and are available for the traditional cost of a ticket”; Value Sightline seats are “primarily in the front row of the auditorium and are available at a lower price than Standard Sightline seats”; Preferred Sightline seats are “typically in the middle of the auditorium and cost slightly more than Standard Sightline seats.” The new system rolls out in select theaters in New York, Chicago, and Kansas City this Friday, and across the nation later this year.

While no price tiers were stated in the announcement, AMC’s website already reflects the new system, with Preferred Sightline adding a $1 to the standard price and Valued Sightline knocking off $2. In New York, the average ticket price for an evening show is $24.49. Here’s what it looks like in practice:

Photo: AMC Theatres via Polygon

The new Sightline system immediately ties into the AMC “A-List” loyalty program. Customers who sign up for the subscription will be exempted from the premium Preferred Sightline.

“Sightline at AMC more closely aligns AMC’s seat pricing approach to that of many other entertainment venues, offering experienced-based pricing and another way for moviegoers to find value at the movies,” AMC Theatres EVP and CMO Eliot Hamlisch said in a statement.

The Sightline program… is a possibility in a time of heated debate about the theatre experience and whether chain AMC or other exhibitors are adopting standards that might actually attract moviegoers back into the cinemas. William Gibson wishes he could have imagined a dystopian world-building word for movie theaters of the near future like “Preferred Sightline.” The gut feeling that this may not be the best direction for movie theaters seems to be shared by Hamlisch, who takes an immediate defensive approach in his sell.

“While every seat at AMC delivers an amazing moviegoing experience,” he says, “we know there are some moviegoers who prioritize their specific seat and others who prioritize value moviegoing. Sightline at AMC accommodates both sentiments to help ensure that our guests have more control over their experience, so that every trip to an AMC is a great one.”

As RRR S.S. Rajamouli, director of Polygon noted that exhibitors are the real future of movie-making. “There are kids who are growing up watching entertainment on their personal devices, and bringing them to the theater is a challenge,” he said, “but the global industry has to accept that it is a challenge. It is important to think through how we can get them into the theatres. It is important to consider the role of directors. Exhibitors need to consider how they can make it more appealing for people to watch the film. These exercises are essential. Just hoping won’t help.”

Are sightline-optimized prices possible? AMC hopes so — and least as far as profitability is concerned.