MoviePass Removes Wait List for Unlimited Theater Tickets

Going to the movies is an expensive pastime, especially if you're a frequent visitor. MoviePass, a service that launched late last year, is trying to ease the financial burden for film buffs by charging them a single monthly fee — typically around $30 — to watch up to one 2D movie in theater per day.

Still in beta, the service has had a wait list ranging from a few days to a few weeks since its launch last year. On Monday, MoviePass temporarily cleared the list, opening it up to those who signed up (it declined to share its current user numbers). What's more, to celebrate "summer blockbuster season," MoviePass is letting everyone who signs up between now and Friday to bypass the wait list entirely.

Here's how the service works: Users pay a monthly fee between $29.99 and $34.99, depending on where they live, and are issued a debit card with the MoviePass logo on it. At the theater, they check in to a movie using a special MoviePass app, and their card is temporarily activated for the purchase price of the film. It only remains active for 30 minutes, and checking in requires users to be physically near the theater, so they can’t try to buy dinner with their card at a restaurant across town.