It’s the end of an era*. MoviePass has officially begun collecting a “peak pricing” surcharge from subscribers attending popular movies and showtimes.
Variety reported on Thursday that, in keeping with its late June announcement, the subscription service that once allowed card carriers to see movies in theaters for $10 a month will now charge an additional $2 to $6 for peak showings.
MoviePass told subscribers in a statement:
“Peak Pricing goes into effect when there’s high demand for a movie or showtime. You may be asked to pay a small additional fee depending on the level of demand. You can avoid the surcharge by selecting a different showtime or movie. Over the coming weeks we’ll also be introducing Peak Pass, which will allow you to waive one peak fee per month.”
In related news, Netflix is reportedly eyeing a more costly subscription plan called “Ultra,” which sounds ambitious, but as IndieWire reports, “Despite its name, Ultra appears to offer no improvements in service; instead, it allows Netflix to charge more by shuffling its benefits among four tiers.”
When asked whether Ultra would necessitate a rollback of current services provided toPremium subscribers, Netflix told IndieWire in an emailed statement, “We don’t disclose details on any active tests. We may not actually ever roll out anything we are testing.”
*for me, a terrific nine months
