Sinemia, the global technology company, announced on Monday (Sept. 17) that it has launched a movie ticket subscription in the U.S. in which subscribers can access any movie in any format at any theater and at any showtime.
In a press release, Sinemia said the service, which is already available in the U.K., Canada, Turkey and Australia, is now live in the U.S.
“As a tech startup with a passion for movies, our goal is to create a more elevated movie-going experience via offline and online integration. We offer prime memberships, including movie tickets and discounts [at] restaurants and cafes, that increase movie-going frequency in a sustainable way,” said Rifat Oguz, founder of Sinemia, in the press release. “Already, we are successfully operating in five countries around the world, and plan to open in four additional markets in the near future.
“Leveraging unique technologies, we have put forth the most innovative, high-value and least restrictive movie ticket subscription service to date,” he continued. “While we do not offer ‘more’ tickets per month, Sinemia does offer higher-quality tickets and a superior customer experience. We are happy to serve a proven movie ticket subscription model that creates a bigger value for customers and financially sustainable business for all partners in the movie-going ecosystem.”
Sinemia said members get as many as three monthly movie tickets for less than the cost of one, and won’t face restrictions like other movie ticket subscription services. Subscribers also benefit from advanced ticket options and seat reservations, as well as a couples’ subscription plan dubbed Sinemia for Two. Memberships start at $9.99 per month with various gifting options available, the company noted.
In August, rival MoviePass announced that as of Aug. 15, subscribers would be able to see three movies per month for $9.95, and could purchase additional tickets through the MoviePass app for a $2 – $5 discount. The newest version of the plan also ended “peak pricing,” where desirable showtimes cost a few dollars more. Those who paid for a full-year subscription still have the option to see unlimited films per month.
The ever-shifting terms of service — not to mention rising concerns that the firm is rapidly running out of money — have taken a harsh toll on MoviePass in recent weeks and months. Its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, has seen falling stock rates, and its cash burn rate has been deemed alarming by most who have watched the situation unfold. As July came to a close, the firm endured a multiple-hour outage that was originally blamed on a technical glitch — when, more accurately, it had simply run out of funds and needed to take a $5 million emergency loan at a high interest rate to pay back key partners and get back up and running.