According to Variety, AMC Theaters has dumped its plan to charge people different rates for heartbreak that feels good depending on where they’re seated to witness said heartbreak.
The plan, called “Sightline at AMC,” was originally announced in February. The general idea was that center seats would cost more while patrons might get a discount for sitting in the front row or on the sides. The concept was criticized at announcement, most vocally by Elijah Wood, for essentially divvying up the movie theater Shakespeare style with the Haves in certain sections and the Have Nots in others.
The movie theater is and always has been a sacred democratic space for all and this new initiative by @AMCTheatres would essentially penalize people for lower income and reward for higher income.
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) February 6, 2023
Now that they’ve tested the plan out, the company is scrapping it because it didn’t do enough to put butts into differently-priced seats. Turns out they weren’t really swayed by the “Movie Theaters are sacred spaces” argument and leaned more heavily on the fact that a couple bucks in either direction didn’t sway people.
“To ensure AMC’s ticket prices remain competitive, the Sightline at AMC pilot program will come to an end at participating locations in the coming weeks, and the initiative will not roll out nationwide,” the company said in a press release.
Thus, movie theater prices will continue to only be delineated based on whether you’re seeing it in standard format, on IMAX, or with a rumble pack attached to you for when Tom Cruise goes zoooooom.