Cinemark rolls out movie club to compete with online entertainment streaming

Cinemark has rolled out the red carpet for a new monthly movie subscription to compete against online streaming services.

The Cinemark Movie Club gives members one 2-D movie ticket every month, a 20 percent discount on snacks and waives online booking fees for $8.99 a month.

Subscribers can roll over unused tickets, which don’t expire for active members, and buy additional tickets for $8.99 a pop.

Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi said the program is “completely consumer research-driven.”

“We designed Movie Club with all of the features and benefits that moviegoers desire most in a membership program without any of the hassle, enabling our guests to enjoy the moviegoing experience with their friends and family,” said Zaradi.

In 2017, theaters have had a rough time earning profits at the box office. Cinemark shares have dropped five percent, partly because of online entertainment services.

The most basic Netflix subscription costs $7.99, and includes unlimited movies and TV shows, including popular original series like “House of Cards” and “Orange Is The New Black.”

Hulu, is another online streaming option. The basic plan is $5.99 and gives you unlimited access to a library of shows and movies, including the popular Hulu original “Handmaid’s Tale.” Depending on what you watch, you may have to sit through some commercials. Subscribers can add on HBO, Cimemax and Showtime at an additional cost.

Amazon Prime, get access to stream movies, TV shows, music and e-books at a cost of $99 a year, which comes out to about $8.25 a month. Certain movies and shows do include commercials.

Click on the name of the movie subscription to be routed to the appropriate website. Many of the streaming services offer the first month free of charge.