If you like seeing movies in theatres (and there are some mutants out there who don't :) ) in the centre of the Canadian universe, you may be wondering about what the Cineplex Odeon-Famous Players deal means to you.

Here's an excerpt from the Toronto Star story:

Cineplex chief executive Ellis Jacob said in a conference call with analysts that the Toronto company would also reverse course on Famous Players' decision in January to cut ticket prices across the board.

The chain had cut admissions to $9.95 from $13.95. New owner Cineplex will convert Famous Players' uniform pricing to its current venue-by-venue model, Jacob said.

That means prices could rise in some locations, depending on the size of the market and demand for tickets.

Here's what the Globe and Mail reported today:

The deal for Famous Players will be a "major transforming event," Cineplex chief executive officer Ellis Jacob said yesterday. The Famous Players brand will likely be retained at many theatres, although the Paramount name used in the biggest city-centre theatres will have to be dropped because Viacom owns it. Cineplex may sell the naming rights for some of those theatres to companies that would like to see their name on a high-profile venue, Mr. Jacob said.

Should movie-goers expect to pay higher prices because of Mr. Schwartz's stranglehold on the Canadian business? Not likely, Mr. Jacob said, "I'm not a proponent of ticket price increases." Howard Lichtman, president of Toronto marketing consulting firm Lightning Group, said movie theatres face so much competition from other forms of entertainment that it is difficult for them to boost prices.

But I can't see Cineplex Odeon squeezing people for $13.95 at the Varsity but letting them watch a flick for $9.95 down at the Paramount.

However, that $13.95 price tag is the main reason I haven't seen a flick at the Varsity in quite some time.

If prices go up as a result of this deal, I expect the main beneficiaries will be the rep theatres and Ammo Video.