The rise and fall of MoviePass is one of those stories that I wish was covered in documentary form, and HBO covers it well.The platform has just set its premiere date for May 29th a documentary directed by filmmakers Mutaari and .
The film chronicles the “meteoroid rise and stranger-than-fiction fall” of the movie ticket subscription platform that took the world by storm when it first launched in 2011. But it didn’t take long for the company to realize the problem. The “all you can eat” approach works very well at gyms and other membership clubs, especially at the lower end of the service spectrum. In just eight years, the company has grown to become the fastest-growing subscription service since Spotify.
As the trailer indicates, the documentary will feature interviews with many of the key players involved in the various stages of MoviePass. This includes original co-founder Stacey Spikes and former CEO Mitch Lowe. There will also be numerous interviews with journalists who covered the service, FTC officials, and former subscribers. By the way, the trailer promises an anecdote about a customer sending a box of feces to his MoviePass office, which you won’t want to miss.
The documentary will premiere on HBO on May 29th at 9pm ET, but will also be available on demand through Max. Director Mutaali has made some excellent documentaries. Yusuf Hawkins: Storm in Brooklyn and Cassius X: Become an ant.
As for MoviePass, well, it’s a long and complicated story. The app won the hearts of theatergoers in 2011 when he promised unlimited movie theater access for one monthly fee. The love affair did not last long. The company ceased operations in 2019 and filed for bankruptcy in 2020. In the meantime, securities fraud, and other outlandish scenarios have occurred. In short, it’s perfect material for a documentary.
Movie Pass. Co-founder Spikes recently bought the company’s assets and brought in new investors. However, the updated pricing model is confusing, with credits and tiers, and it doesn’t seem like a second bolt of lightning in a bottle.
