3-D Ticket Prices on the Rise, But Will Moviegoers Buy It?

Suddenly the guy who takes you on a movie date isn’t so cheap… With the success of “Avatar”, it seems that the 3-D movie gimmick is here to stay, that is, unless it just gets too expensive. In New York City a 2-D movie ticket comes at a price that is higher than most cities at $12.50 while a 3-D movie ticket costs about $17.50. Now theaters have increased 3-D ticket prices up to 26% nationwide; in New York City that will equate to about $20 per ticket.

The raised price (which varies from city to city) went into effect on the weekend of March 26th in theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Regal Entertainment Group, and Cinemark Holdings Inc. The increase is a result of the entertainment industry’s desire to cash in on the 3-D craze.

However, the pricier tickets may receive a backlash. The New York Times reported 48% of the total ticket sales for the latest theater juggernaut “Clash of the Titans”(which grossed $61.4 million in its opening weekend) were 2-D screens. Compare that to the 83% of 3-D“Avatar” sales at the lower ticket price. On the other hand, Walt Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” directed by Tim Burton, recently had the best opening for a 3-D movie ever, with $116.1 million.

In any case, 3-D isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Samsung and Panasonic already released 3-D TVs in March. Panasonic’s models sold out in one week, even with a price tag of around $3,000 for the full 3-D experience. A slew of 3-D video games are set to be released and Apple is said to be creating a head-mounted 3-D display for the iPod. The point is that those stupid, oversized glasses are going to be glued to our heads in the very near future.

Many have speculated that prices will continue to rise as long as people are willing to pay. Michele Zaffino, a 54-year-old moviegoer isn’t buying it, “That’s ridiculous. A movie would have to be really, really, really good for me to see it. That’s halfway to a Broadway show.”