AMC theaters will start charging more for better seats; Elijah Wood criticizes them for penalizing people with lower incomes

AMC Theaters has announced a controversial new rate plan that will charge people more money for better seats in the theater. This is seriously one of the dumbest brain fart ideas they could have come up with.

This Friday, they’re launching Sightline at the AMC, a seat-based pricing initiative within the auditorium. Spectators will have the option to pay more or less for admission depending on where they choose to sit in the theatre. Front row seats will be available at a lower price, while seats in the center of the theater will be available at a higher price.

This is a great way to keep people away from going to the movies. It’s also a great way to penalize low-income people, which is exactly that Elijah Wood is criticizing them for In a recent Twitter post, Wood criticized them saying:

“Filmmaking is and always has been a sacred democratic space for everyone and this new initiative from @AMCTheatres would essentially penalize people for lower incomes and reward people for higher incomes.”

He’s not the only one pissed at AMC theaters. In another post shared by John RockHe said:

“Look, this is classist stuff from @AMCTheatres. IMAX, 4DX, 3D, Screen X loading more makes sense as you are getting the movie in a new way. But is not so. Poor people, you sit in the poor section and you rich people, please move the velvet ropes around the…”

I agree 100% with what these people are saying. There will be three different seat price options. The first is Standard Sightline, described as “the most common seats in auditoriums and available at the traditional cost of a ticket”. Then there’s Value Sightline, referred to as “front row auditorium seats, as well as select ADA seats in each auditorium, and are available at a lower price than standard sightline seats.” (Value Sightline pricing is only available to AMC Stubs members, including free tier memberships.) The third option is Preferred Sightline, which are the “seats in the center of the auditorium and priced at a premium over standard seats” . AMC Stubs A-List members will be able to reserve seats in the Preferred Sightline section at no additional cost.

Eliot Hamlisch, executive vice president and CMO of AMC Theaters, said in a statement, “AMC’s Sightline more closely aligns AMC’s seat pricing approach with that of many other entertainment venues, offering experience-based pricing and another way for moviegoers to find movie theater value While every seat at the AMC offers an amazing movie experience, we know that there are some moviegoers who prioritize their specific seat and others who prioritize a movie of value. at AMC satisfies both sentiments to ensure our guests have more control over their experience, so that every trip to an AMC is a great one.

The new initiative kicks off Friday at select AMC locations in New York, Chicago and Kansas City and will roll out to all AMC locations nationwide later this year.

What do you think of AMC’s new theater seat pricing plan? I hope they rethink what they’re doing, and they might if people stopped showing up in their theaters. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. I wonder who their spokesperson is, Nicole KidmanI would say about this.

Cinema is and always has been a sacred democratic space for everyone and this new initiative by @AMCTheatres it would essentially penalize people for lower income and reward for higher income.

— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) February 6, 2023

Look, this is classist stuff from @AMCTheatres .

IMAX, 4DX, 3D, Screen X loading more makes sense as you are getting the movie in a new way.

But is not so.

Poor people, you sit in the poor section and you rich please move the velvet ropes around the… https://t.co/KkTgtDAPWC

— John Rocha aka The Outlaw Nation (@TheRochaSays) February 6, 2023