INDIANAPOLIS — It's going to cost you a little bit more to see "The Batman" at AMC and Regal theaters across the country.
In a 2021 fourth quarter earnings call on Tuesday, AMC CEO Adam Aron confirmed the "slightly higher prices" for the super hero film compared to other movies playing in the same theaters at the same time.
"This is all quite novel in the United States, but actually, AMC has been doing it for years in our European theaters," Aron said. "In Europe, we charge a premium for the best seats in the house, as do just about all other sellers of tickets in other industries — think sports events, concerts, and live theater, for example — that have not commonly been a practice here before in the United States."
The largest movie theater chain in the world is experimenting with variable pricing for films, which means the company could be charging more to see presumably big-budget, blockbuster films.
However, there is not a set price increase since ticket prices vary by time of day and across the country. For example, a ticket to the 7 p.m. showing of "The Batman" at AMC Indianapolis 17 on March 4 will cost $15.29, while someone wanting to see "Uncharted" at 7:15 p.m. will have to pay $14.29 for a ticket. The price difference between a showing around noon for both films at the same theater is 70 cents.
Aron said the change was made after the company successfully raised weekend pricing above mid-week levels a few years ago.
"If you look at our year-over-year pricing success, as was demonstrated in the Q4 numbers, you will see that AMC has been a bold thinker in the area of pricing, one who is willing to take risk, and one who is willing to lead, and one who sees considerable upside opportunity for us ahead if we continue to be imaginative," Aron said.
While looking at ticket prices online, Regal Cinemas, which is owned by Cineworld, is charging a fixed rate of $1 more for tickets to "The Batman," compared to other movies at the same theater at the same time.
Cinemark Theatres is not charging customers more to see "The Batman" compared to other films.
The 256-minute film, which opens in theaters Friday, March 4, stars Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as the Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon and Colin Farrell as the Penguin.
