MoviePass was one of those services that really seemed too good to be true: for a monthly fee of around $10, users could go see up to 3 movies a month at pretty much any theater, with an option for an unlimited plan that would let users see whatever they want, whenever. The service would go through several different business models as it went on, but one thing never changed: it provided crazy good value for money to anyone who wanted to see lots of movies.
As it turned out, it actually was too good to be true, as the company eventually closed in 2019, unable to support the costs of its own business model. The writing had been on the wall for a good while leading up to MoviePass' bankruptcy, but even so, a lot of people were disappointed they were losing one of the best deals for moviegoers they'd ever found.
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So, a small stir was inevitably kicked up when someone noticed that a new website, "moviepass.ventures," appeared online. The website has almost nothing on it besides a MoviePass logo and a simple countdown clock, stating that "the movie is about to start." Of course, industry insiders, journalists, and avid movie watchers were immediately intrigued, wondering if this could be the rebirth of the MoviePass brand.
However, that's where things get even weirder: nobody seems to know who put this website up, or why. All other MoviePass media channels are dormant and their main website still hosts a press release announcing the company's closure. Even stranger, when former MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe was asked about the website by Variety, he had no answers, simply remarking: "I have no idea. It has nothing to do with me."
Of course, this all just provides more questions than answers, in particular: who is behind all this? It seems unlikely that MoviePass itself is attempting a comeback, given the answers from the former CEO, but is it a rival? Or someone trying to capitalize off the name for extra publicity? Or perhaps it's all just some practical joke, meant to rile people up for a gag.
Whatever the case, it's a compelling story, and it will be interesting to see what happens when that countdown clock finally reaches zero. When it does, it seems we may finally find out, one way or another, what this unexpected MoviePass website really means. Would-be moviegoers who have been missing the theatrical experience over the past would likely be thrilled by the prospect of MoviePass' return.
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Source: Variety