Comcast and NBCU-owned Fandango have teamed on an integration that enables X1 subs to find movie times and order tickets to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom using the X1 voice remote.
To initiate the ticket-buying feature, X1 subs can say, “Get tickets” into the voice remote while watching the movie trailer. The system will help the user search from more than 30,000 theatrical screens in the U.S. and find a list of showtimes at nearby theaters.
X1 subs who view the movie trailer on Comcast’s VOD system will receive an on-screen notification prompting them to use the voice remote or to press the “info” button on the X1 remote to initiative the ticket-buying process. Those subs can also opt to send local show times to their mobile phones to complete the purchase via Fandango’s mobile app or website.
The new film, from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, is scheduled to open in theaters on June 22.
Comcast and Fandango said it marks the first time this movie ticket-buying capability has been made available on a set-top box, adding that they intend to extend this feature for additional new releases throughout the year.
Tied into the partnership, Comcast has also created a curated area on X1 dedicated to the Jurassic movie series, including access to previous films (for rent or purchase), pre-order tickets to the new film, and watch clips and trailers tied to the franchise. Customers can access it via the X1 menus or by saying, “Jurassic World” into the voice remote.
Comcast acquired Fandango in 2007. Fandango, which also runs an electronic sell-through service called FandangoNOW, is part of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, a unit of NBCU.
“Fandango is the perfect partner to help us give customers a fun, easy way to go right from watching TV at home to enjoying the newest releases in the movie theater,” Nancy Spears, VP, strategy and execution at Comcast Cable, said in a statement. “Xfinity X1 enables us to continually explore one-of-a-kind experiences that complement the TV viewing experience, allowing viewers to interact with content where and when it is convenient for them. We’re launching this experience starting with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in conjunction with the film’s trailer and look forward to further enhancing additional movie titles with this functionality throughout the year.”
“At Fandango, we are always looking for innovative ways to super serve movie fans, when they are engaging with movie content so that they can easily act on their interest and purchase a ticket to the theater on the platforms and devices they use,” added Mark Young, SVP, head of business development and strategy, at Fandango. “We’re thrilled to team up with Xfinity to offer millions of X1 customers across the country a convenient new way to use their TV set and voice-activated remote to buy movie tickets right from their living rooms.”
