Latest news with #MoviePass
New York Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
How Stacy Spikes, Co-Founder of MoviePass, Spends His Day at the Theater
Stacy Spikes grew up at the movies. When he was a child in Houston, his mother would give him and his brother $5 each, drop them off at the theater — the manager knew them by name — and come back hours later. 'She'd probably be arrested today,' he said. 'It was a different time.' But that time at the movies was formative for Mr. Spikes, 56, who in 1997 founded Urbanworld Film Festival, a five-day festival in New York that showcases Black and multicultural films. In 2011, he co-founded MoviePass, a subscription-based ticketing service, which he later sold and then bought back in 2021. 'Seeing Disney films and being dropped off at the theater, that was a form of escape for us, but it was like our babysitter,' Mr. Spikes said. 'I saw 'Blade Runner' when I was 13 years old and I knew I was going to work in this area.' The movie industry has evolved in recent years, but Mr. Spikes remains a film buff. Recently, he saw 'Sinners' three times in three different types of theaters. 'I knew it had great music so I saw it the first time in Dolby Atmos, which focuses on the sound,' he said. 'The second screening, I saw it in IMAX, and now you're really focused on the picture and that part of the experience.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MoviePass, Led And Co-Founded By Stacy Spikes, Lands $100M Investment To Launch Hollywood's First Daily Fantasy Entertainment Platform
New funding has been raised to help movie fans benefit from the entertainment industry. On May 1, 2025, tech platform MoviePass — with the help of its partner, the C3 Foundation — announced the launch of Mogul, a 'daily fantasy entertainment platform' for Hollywood, according to a press release. The platform, which is the first of its kind, allows fans to participate in fantasy-style tournaments, head-to-head matchups, and solo challenges where they can apply their insights to predict audience attendance, critic scores, award winners, and more. 'You basically create your own studio by picking real movies, real actors, real directors and the way those projects behave in the real world, and your ability to pick and predict what might happen, impacts your scoring,' explained Stacy Spikes, co-founder and CEO of MoviePass, via an exclusive from Variety. Furthermore, fans can receive incentives such as blockchain-based digital rewards, including new avatar images and artwork, Inc. reports. In the future, Mogul intends to allow fans to earn cash. The app is projected to have 200,000 active users on the platform by the end of May 2025 and already has a waitlist of 400,000, Variety shared. 'We're letting people enter in waves in order to not completely overwhelm the system,' Spikes explained to the outlet. Looking ahead, the goal is revamp MoviePass to improve 'platform features, including data-driven competitions, digital collectibles, rewards-based gameplay and community-led challenges,' said Spikes, per Variety. This will be made possible through a $100 million capital investment from Global Emerging Markets. 'We've always been a company built from a fan perspective,' Spikes also said to the outlet. 'We're not a studio, we're not a theater, but we want to really find a new way of creating engagement around going to the movies. We don't want people to just sit at home. This allows film fans to show the same competitive spirit that sports teams inspire.' The post MoviePass, Led And Co-Founded By Stacy Spikes, Lands $100M Investment To Launch Hollywood's First Daily Fantasy Entertainment Platform appeared first on post MoviePass, Led And Co-Founded By Stacy Spikes, Lands $100M Investment To Launch Hollywood's First Daily Fantasy Entertainment Platform appeared first on AfroTech.
Business Wire
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
GEM Token Fund Commits $100M to MoviePass for Launch of Mogul – Hollywood's First Daily Fantasy Entertainment Platform
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GEM Token Fund ISA Ltd. ('GEM' or the 'Fund') is pleased to announce the completion of its first transaction. The Fund's $100 million token purchase agreement with MoviePass Inc., a technology company redefining the moviegoing experience, and its partner, C3 Foundation, has been undertaken to accelerate the development of Mogul —the first-ever daily fantasy entertainment platform built for Hollywood. Mogul, which launched in beta earlier this month, lets fans play the role of a studio head—predicting box office ranking, award outcomes, and sentiment scores in a game that blends Hollywood knowledge with the competitive spirit of fantasy sports. The platform taps into the excitement of real-world entertainment speculation, transforming passive viewership into active participation. 'With Mogul, we're inviting fans to become players in the entertainment ecosystem,' said Stacy Spikes, Co-Founder and CEO of MoviePass. 'Just as fantasy sports changed how people engage with sports, Mogul will redefine how fans engage with film and television. This investment gives us the runway to build something truly game-changing.' The investment from GEM comes in the form of a flexible capital commitment over twenty-four months that MoviePass can draw upon as needed to scale Mogul. MoviePass will control the timing and the number of drawdowns, with no minimum drawdown obligation. Funds will be used to enhance platform features—including data-driven competitions, digital collectibles, rewards-based gameplay, and community-led challenges. This transaction is GEM's inaugural commitment and marks the launch of the Fund. GEM's sponsor and majority GP shareholder is GEM Group, a $3.4 billion alternative investment group based in Paris, New York, and the Bahamas - with a 30-year track record of 570 transactions across 70 countries. About GEM Token Fund ISA Ltd. (GEM) GEM Token Fund ISA Ltd. ('GEM') is a Bermuda-domiciled investment vehicle, structured as a segregated account of DigitalArray ISAC Ltd. and regulated by the Bermuda Monetary Authority as a Professional Closed Fund under the Investment Funds Act 2006. GEM provides liquidity financing to blockchain and Web3 issuers of digital assets, leveraging a global network of top-tier service providers including AI Global Strategies ISA, KPMG Audit Limited, Walkers (Bermuda) Limited, and Apex Group. GEM is sponsored by GEM Group, which provides deep expertise in emerging markets, structured finance, and venture growth to its clients and partners. For more information: About Mogul Mogul is Hollywood's first daily fantasy entertainment platform, allowing fans to predict entertainment outcomes and climb leaderboards in a gamified, data-driven environment. Built on the Sui blockchain and backed by Mysten Labs and Animoca Brands, Mogul uses virtual currency and digital rewards to power its community. Beta access is live at About MoviePass Inc. MoviePass is a technology company building the future of film engagement. From reinventing theatrical subscription to pioneering Web3 experiences, MoviePass connects audiences with the movies they love through innovation, community, and storytelling. Learn more at Disclosure: This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Parties hereto assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law. THIS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY A FUND OR SECURITY. ANY SUCH OFFER MAY ONLY BE MADE TO ACCREDITED INVESTORS AS DEFINED IN RULE 501 OF REGULATION D OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AND ONLY VIA A PROSPECTUS.
TechCrunch
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- TechCrunch
Remember Moviefone? Well, it's back.
For millions of movie enthusiasts in the '90s, Moviefone's 777-FILM number was the go-to source for obtaining showtimes. Now, under new ownership, Moviefone is trying to make a comeback. On Friday, as part of its 35th anniversary celebration, Moviefone announced the relaunch of its mobile app and a new nationally syndicated broadcast TV series. Set to launch in private beta this month, the new app is designed to enhance the current web experience, allowing mobile users to search for showtimes and tickets for the latest releases, discover trending movies and TV shows, as well as access Moviefone's original video content, including celebrity interviews, behind-the-scenes content, reviews, and more. The public app launch is set for this summer. Moviefone TV, meanwhile, is the company's effort to grow the original media offering of its business by bringing its entertainment content to different TV stations across the U.S. After first debuting in 1989, Moviefone later became a popular online ticket seller and movie information brand before websites like and even existed. It went through a few acquisitions, getting snapped up by AOL in 1999, and much later, the original parent company of MoviePass, Helios and Matheson Analytics, which went bankrupt in 2020. That's when Cleveland O'Neal, TV producer and the creator of daytime entertainment show 'Made in Hollywood,' stepped in to lead a revival. The forthcoming app signals that Moviefone is attempting to stay relevant as it caters to a new generation of digital-first movie lovers. As 80% of Moviefone's audience is aged between 18-44, the company says this calls for the development of an app to compete effectively in the market. Techcrunch event Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | BOOK NOW The company's weekly TV series airs this fall, but it hasn't yet shared which stations it'll be available on. (That will depend on the market.) There is a possibility that the show could be broadcast on the same networks as 'Made in Hollywood,' which has a deal with CBS. Given the continued declining popularity of traditional television, though, Moviefone TV also plans to launch on undisclosed streaming platforms and free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services. Notably, it also plans to bring on social media influencers to appear on the show to draw in younger viewers. It's uncertain if this will truly mark Moviefone's comeback, but it will be interesting to see how the company approaches it. The resurgence of moviegoing in theaters post-pandemic suggests that people may be nostalgic enough to check out its relaunched app.
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
The CEO of MoviePass wants its new fantasy game to do for Hollywood what FanDuel has for sports
MoviePass cofounder and CEO Stacy Spikes wants to do for Hollywood what fantasy games and betting have for sports. "Sports has really learned how to create engagement," Spikes told Business Insider. "I think we can learn something from them for the movie industry." The movie ticket subscription company is launching this week the beta version of a fantasy box office game called Mogul. In this game, moviegoers can try to predict how upcoming films will perform in theaters. Like in fantasy sports, players can build leagues — or, in Mogul's case, movie studios — with teams that include actors, directors, and movies. Players are given a budget in digital coins to build a studio and score points based on the film's box office performance. Spikes hopes the free-to-play game will drive audience engagement with daily and weekly tournaments, by setting a roster and playing out seasonally, or through head-to-head matchups with other users. If the game becomes popular, MoviePass may try to expand with gaming elements that mirror sweepstakes or other markets where players can make real money, Spikes said. He pointed to services like FanDuel and DraftKings as potential models. But, for now, he likened Mogul to "Monopoly for the entertainment industry." MoviePass wanted the game to be a 'sizable leap forward' in tech Spikes said the idea for Mogul came out of MoviePass' Friday staff calls, when employees talk about what they think the top five films will be at the box office each weekend. He pointed to recent breakout films like " Minecraft" that crushed box office projections and caught some in Hollywood off guard. MoviePass saw an opportunity to box office predictions into a game to make the app "stickier for customers" and engage them more with social features. "We were always talking about what we thought the weekend gross would be, and it was just part of our culture," Spikes said. "That was the genesis, or the beginning of us moving into this direction." Players on Mogul have studios, which operate similar to how leagues do for fantasy sports. Users can select the movies, actors, and directors they want on their team by paying for them with in-game currency called Mogul Coin. Each player gets 1 million Mogul Coins to start. Points are then awarded based on the net the movie makes at the box office. So, if the film "Wicked" makes double its production budget at the box office, the value of the film, its director, and actors like Cynthia Erivo would double in Mogul, Spike said as an example. An actor or director's value might increase even more if they win an Oscar. The game is built on Sui blockchain technology, which Spikes said gives MoviePass options for rewarding players or expanding the platform. "That's unique in that if you do reward people, whether you want to do digital collectibles or other things, building it on blockchain makes it easier to do that," he said. Like MoviePass did when it launched movie ticket subscriptions, Spikes wanted to do something that was a "sizable leap forward" with technology. "I don't think you could have built this game very well 10 years ago," Spikes said. "It wouldn't have worked if you didn't have all of these other technologies that you can use now." Mogul has a waitlist of over 400,000 people Over 400,000 people signed up for the waitlist to play Mogul, Spikes said. The company isn't planning to monetize it through ads or in-app purchases at the moment. It's mainly looking to get users to play the game and give feedback on its mechanics. You don't have to be a MoviePass subscriber to play, but the company is thinking about ways to reward players who are subscribers or go see movies in theaters with bonuses. That's one of the points of the game, after all. "The more you engage in that way, the more likely it is, you're actually going to go to the theater," Spikes said.
