It was back in January that it was reported that movie ticket prices that people are the main reason why people are hesitant about seeing a film at their local theater. Well, that complaint hasn't stopped cinemas from continuing to raise their prices, as a new report has confirmed that the cost of a ticket has once again reached an all-time high.
Deadline has received a new report from the National Association of Theater Owners, and the numbers show that ticket prices have actually increased 3.4 percent since they last reached a record high at the start of 2015. In the United States, the average pass will cost a movie-goer $8.61 - which is over two dollars more than the average price back in 2005.
Looking at the numbers, it's not hard to see why some sections of the movie-going public are hesitant to go out for a night at the cinema. If a family of four is going out to see a film, they're spending about $35 on tickets alone. Adding in the additional costs of parking, dinner, and snacks, and the whole thing makes you feel like somebody drilled a hole in your pocket.
As Deadline points out, one interesting factor that made ticket prices rise in the second quarter of 2015 is the simple fact that some movies were just really popular in special formats. The trade points to the incredible grosses pulled in from titles like Joss Whedon's The Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Colin Trevorrow's Jurassic World, and notes that both of those movies made money in both IMAX and in 3D. The higher price of these tickets ultimately had an effect on the overall average.
Of course, there's a more negative side to the numbers as well. Another factor in the price increases must be that theaters simply need to get more money from their patrons. On Demand and streaming services provide tremendous competition for movie houses, and the reality is that they don't make a ton of money from the early weeks of a new film's release (the ratio of dividends being split between the distributor and the theaters doesn't move into the latter's favor until after a title has been out for multiple weeks). This is why concessions are so expensive, but this factor plus the ever-shortening home video window also explain why ticket prices keep going up.
How do you feel about the fact that movie ticket prices are at an all-time high? Do you find the cost of going to the movies to be prohibitive, or will you pay any amount of money for the opportunity to see a movie on the big screen? We want to know what you think, so hit the comments section with your thoughts and opinions!
