Updated
Updated · WIRED · Aug 19
AMC Approves $2 Million IT Fix as Dune Presales Overwhelm Ticketing Apps
Updated
Updated · WIRED · Aug 19

AMC Approves $2 Million IT Fix as Dune Presales Overwhelm Ticketing Apps

3 articles · Updated · WIRED · Aug 19

Summary

  • $2 million in new IT spending was approved by AMC after "Dune: Part Three" presales overwhelmed its app and website, with CEO Adam Aron saying traffic ran about triple the latest Spider-Man launch.
  • AMC, Fandango and Regal all drew complaints over outages and long virtual lines, while some Manhattan fans lined up in person hours before the box office opened to secure seats.
  • Only 25 U.S. theaters can show IMAX 70mm, helping turn premium screenings into a scarcity-driven scramble that has pushed some resale listings into the hundreds of dollars.
  • The rush is the third major blockbuster ticket frenzy in weeks, reinforcing theaters' push to "eventize" movies even as critics and economists say weak tech and scarcity are making moviegoing feel like concert-ticket combat.

Insights

Will AMC's new IT investment finally stop digital stampedes, or are ticketing crashes a permanent blockbuster marketing tool?
With IMAX seats hitting $200 online, who really profits when ticketing systems buckle under crushing volume?