Anyone opening their MoviePass app on July 4 got a surprise: No, it wasn’t actually offering showings. Instead there was a note, informing whatever subscribers the troubled movie ticket service has left that they were temporarily interrupting service, starting early that morning, so that they can “improve our mobile app.” There was no word on when service would return.
As per Deadline, MoviePass added in a statement that they would also use this time — again, unspecified in length — to recapitalize, “in order to facilitate a seamless transition and improved subscriber experience” when the product returns. While they’re down, subscribers will not be charged for the affected days, and no new subscribers can enroll.
During the interruption, no subscribers will be charged, and will be automatically credited for the number of affected days once the service is running again. Also during this period, no new subscribers will be enrolled.
The MoviePass story, which will likely make for a pretty exciting film of its own one day, has been a rollercoaster ride. It was about this time last year when the service — which had ballooned to nearly a million customers, each paying a mere $10 a month for unlimited movies (though only one a day) — finally imploded, with the powers-that-be simply unable to pay for all the tickets they were purchasing on the cheap. There have been numerous structural reorganizations, as well as lawsuits and other legal rigamarole. Meanwhile, competitors, such as AMC Stubs A-List, have thrived.
Throughout, MoviePass top brass has remained optimistic. If one visits their website, you see a message of hope: “Big changes are coming.” It doesn’t say when.
(Via Deadline)
