Regal Cinemas charges $50 for premium 'Dune: Part Three' opening night tickets

6 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · Apr 27

Regal sold out $50 tickets for 70mm IMAX screenings of 'Dune: Part Three' in minutes, as premium formats gain popularity and now account for 17% of film tickets sold.
Average premium ticket prices have risen to $18 nationally and up to $30 in major cities, while regular tickets average $12.75. Concession spending per visit at AMC has also climbed to $9 from $5 prepandemic.
Industry leaders warn rising costs and fewer film releases are making moviegoing an occasional luxury. Studios and theaters are debating pricing, advertising, and premium branding as they seek to boost attendance and profits.

With $50 tickets now a reality, is cinema evolving into a luxury good only for the wealthy?

If fewer people are attending movies, can event cinema and concessions alone keep local theaters financially afloat?

Are new studio-branded screens like 'Infinity Vision' a genuine upgrade or just another way to raise ticket prices?

Can Gen Z’s unique viewing habits truly save theaters, or just one specific type of blockbuster?

As Hollywood giants merge, will their promises of more movies materialize, or is a content drought inevitable?

Who truly holds the power to fix the movie industry: the studios who make films or the theaters who show them?