Discuss: Should Ticket Prices Be Based on Budget?

Posted Mar 11th 2008 9:02PM by Monika Bartyzel
Filed under: Box Office

Earlier today, I wrote up a piece about the upcoming 3D, CG film Monsters vs. Aliens. Since the movie is going to be 3D from the get-go, rather than getting converted, the price tag on the picture went up $15 million. Why should we care? Well, if you have any interest in seeing it, you'll have to pay more to make up for the extra cost, and what Jeffrey Katzenberg calls "a premium experience."

Paying extra to go see an IMAX production is one thing -- you're paying for the post-film formatting and all that special experience -- and it's a choice. You don't have to spend the extra for it. But to say that we're going to have to pay more because this new technique costs more? That's just ridiculous.

Is this what we can look forward to in the future? A company spends a lot, so it ups the prices to make sure the picture makes money? Luckily for Katz, this is a kid's movie, and no kid will understand a parent refusing to pay because the ticket costs more. But what about the rest of us? I wouldn't think of investing more in a theater-screening of a certain movie unless everyone swore up and down that it would be worth it, and even then, I'm not sure that I would. Isn't this the sort of thing that will further hurt struggling theaters?

There's also the idea of fear. It used to be that a studio would overspend and hope for the blockbuster. But if they start taking on this pay-more notion, will we think we're getting more for our money, or will it just suggest that the film isn't worth its large price tag? Also, would you have seen the big films of the past if the price tag had been upped?

Sound off below!

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Check Out This 'Monsters vs. Aliens' Trailer, While You Can (54 days ago - 4 Comments)

Reader Comments

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1. Actually a 3-D movie is in a separate class. When I saw "Nightmare Before Christmas" in 3-D last year (during it's re-release) it was about $3 more than the other movies showing at that multiplex. I was okay paying a few dollars more. I just assumed all theaters were charging more for 3-D. I'm almost certain they also charged a premium for the U2 concert movie as well. Hey, 3-D glasses aren't free you know!
However, you are correct in that it is a slippery slope. What is to stop them from charging $4 for some indie gem, while asking $8 for the next Devlin/Emmerich trainwreck.

But to be honest, the studios are looking for ways to get more butts in the seats, and a radical shake up like that could potentially backfire, so I don't expect prices to change much.

Posted at 9:27PM on Mar 11th 2008 by techstar25

2. I understand a premium charge on 3D movies. But I think there needs to be a standard fee. IF they want to charge more for 3D movies make them all $X more than a normal movie. Don't let the studio decide how much to charge.

Posted at 11:17PM on Mar 11th 2008 by Travis Tidmore

3. I hope the little bit more they charge per ticket evens out the fact that I'll be pirating it for free :-)

Posted at 11:39PM on Mar 11th 2008 by Matthew

4. Ha! Yeah.
"So, how are we going to fight digital piracy?"
"Uh, I dunno. Piss off the consumer?"
"Everyone in favour of pissing off the consumer?"

Posted at 11:58PM on Mar 11th 2008 by farfisa

5. I guess I'll be checkin' this one out on Netflix.

Posted at 2:13AM on Mar 12th 2008 by Tom Gerlick

6. I actually think this might be a great idea.

"You want to see Transformers 4 - $50 please.

Or if you want to save a bit of cash, how about heading over to screen 23 and catching a little movie made my real filmmakers, we'll let you watch that for $5 and throw in the popcorn."

So what is the result going to be from this then?

Hollywood suddenly seeing big budget movies as an even bigger risk than they are now, the more they spend the more that punters may be tempted by the cheaper option, You will see prices slashed in the 2nd and 3rd weeks to make up numbers and smart punters will start waiting till then.

The real winners will be the independents who will suddenly find themselves a whole new market they never thought they would have and the punters who never realized there was a whole new world of movies outside of the major studios.

I for one would like to see this happen.

Posted at 5:47AM on Mar 12th 2008 by Gary

7. I had similar thoughts to Gary. This would generally work out really well for me. Look at it this way:

Transformers budget = $150 million
There Will Be Blood budget = $25 million

Norbit = $60 million
Juno = $6.5 million

Spider-man 3 = $258 million
Batman Begins = $150 million

Resident Evil: Extinction = $45 million
Fido = $11 million

Rush Hour 3 = $140 million
Superbad = $20 million

I Am Legend = $150 million
No Country for Old Men = $25 million

Posted at 10:11AM on Mar 12th 2008 by Patrick

8. This is something interesting, I have never seen! http://www.spymac.com/details/?2351184

Posted at 8:33AM on Mar 12th 2008 by Enrique

9. I am totally for paying more for a great experience, just as soon as they start refunding me when a movie sucks.

Posted at 8:35AM on Mar 12th 2008 by Eric H

10. Aren't movie tickets expensive enough as it is? I feel like making going to the movies more expensive would make less people go. I say make movie going cheaper so that it'll be more attractive (and maybe more repeated viewings?). But thats just wishful thinking.

Posted at 8:52AM on Mar 12th 2008 by gsanta1

11. Charging more for a more expensive film budget is absolutely ridiculous, and is a big slippery slope that will help lead to the downfall of the movie theater. Many people (myself included) already are annoyed with theaters and their total lack of control of their audience (cell phones, talking), and now we have to pay more for that experience? Why don't they try to make a GOOD movie, and then enough people will want to go at the regular price, and they will have no problems recovering their budget.

Posted at 9:26AM on Mar 12th 2008 by Joel Mulder

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