Nu Metro hoping to revitalise movie-going experience

JOHANNESBURG - Cinema corporation Nu Metro hopes to revitalise the movie-going experience for all South Africans.

Through various partnerships and theatrical expansions, Nu Metro is on a bid to prove its slogan, ‘We’re more than just movies, we’re an experience’, true.

The corporation held an event for media and stakeholders last Wednesday to discuss and unveil what sets it apart from its competitors.

This includes partnerships with other corporations to bring down the steep ticket prices. Many have bemoaned this as the reason they’re unable to watch the film industry’s latest offerings.

These include partnerships with Absa Rewards, Nedbank, Momentum, Sanlam, African Bank, Vodacom, and Clientèle.

“Our prices, if you’re using the partners, have actually gone down [since 2019]. Our strategic move after Covid was to bring in more partners to make it [ticket prices] more affordable... So, really, for a family of four you’re looking at R270 for tickets and R180 for Coke and popcorn. It would’ve cost you more in 2019,” said Nu Metro business analyst Menen Muthial.

However, a drawback they might experience is that moviegoers will need to be members of these corporations to access these discounts, potentially alienating an audience who may, for example, prefer a Nu Metro-specific discount deal that doesn’t require a third party to use.

“At the end of it, the benefits are there, and it’s not only a movie benefit that sits with these partners… It’s a basket of value that you get, but the choice is yours,” Andries Basson, the operations executive Nu Metro, said.

Another offering from Nu Metro, seemingly more targeted towards families, is its ongoing collaboration with Bounce Inc, an indoor active entertainment company that it likens to an “urban playground environment”.

The collaboration aims to target “underused cinema spaces”, transforming them into smaller Bounce experiences at top malls across South Africa.

It will also be integrating the two juggernauts through symbiotic giveaways and prizes and integrating loyalty programmes where spending at one earns rewards or discounts at the other.

“We’re flipping the script on what it means to ‘go to the movies’. It’s not just popcorn and a seat any more. Now you can jump, play, explore, and connect - all under one roof,” it said in a statement.

Nu Metro also offers experiences such as different cinematic viewings with its 4DX theatres, it’s 3D Xtreme theatres, and the introduction of its ScreenX theatre in Gateway in Durban, an “African-first” which it said will “drop you into the middle of a film, as it is intricately engineered to bring moviegoers closer to the action”.

Additionally, consumers can host and attend events at Nu Metro cinemas, be catered to a VIP viewing experience, a kids-only viewing experience, and host birthday parties.

“Nu Metro isn’t just about watching movies - it’s about the experience. With bold investments and a clear vision, the cinema group is reaffirming what audiences across South Africa already know: cinema is well and truly alive,” the statement said.