AMC charging more for 'The Batman' tickets as part of 'variable pricing' pilot program
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- With the highly anticipated "The Batman" hitting the big screen, moviegoers should expect to pay a little more at AMC Theaters ticket counters.
AMC announced what it calls "variable pricing" for the movie, part of a pilot program that it's testing in the U.S.
"Currently, our prices for 'The Batman' are slightly higher than the prices we are charging for other movies playing in the same theaters at the same time," AMC Theaters CEO Adam Aron said.
AMC's website currently shows prices for a Friday night showing of "The Batman" at nearly $19 in New York City, while other films showing at the same time and same location are going for $17.99.
The price surge coincides with theaters trying to get audiences back inside after the pandemic led to two brutal years at the box office.
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"The box office has not recovered, and I think it's, you know, a lot of people are saying that a lot of casual moviegoers are not coming back the way they normally would just to check out a film, perhaps because there's so many options to watch at home," AP film writer Lindsey Bahr said.
AMC has had flexible ticket pricing at its European theaters for years and in some cases charges more for better seating.
AMC says this is just the beginning of the transformation happening.
"We remain focused on recovery and transformation," Aron said. "We remain focused on innovation and managing through change."
It's not clear how long this pilot program will last or how many more movies will come with this varied pricing.
