What's the latest theatre to close or open you have heard about?

[Leo Enticknap]

In 1998 Cinemark tried to enter England at Liverpool, the Movies 12 - Liverpool. Never happened

Interesting - the late '90s was a time of explosive growth and restructuring for movie theaters (cinemas) in the UK. The company that I worked for at that time (City Screen) went from being a two-site arthouse/mainstream crossover startup to having around 20 screens, plus a distribution arm, within the space of about five years. It was gobbled by Cineworld shortly after I moved on, who essentially rebranded it as their arthouse label. Two of the big multiplex chains, UCI and Odeon, merged, and a huge amount of money was sunk into refurbishing the hundreds of two- and three-screen high street (main street) fleapits that had started life as 1930s picture palaces, were twinned and tripled in the '60s and '70s, and by the late '80s had become mainly cold, damp, threadbare, infested places that one would not really want to see a movie in.

I'm guessing that by the time Cinemark tried to arrive on the scene, the market was already saturated and they found themselves having to claw away share from their competitors, customer by customer. Same thing in reverse when Tesco (one of Britain's biggest supermarket chains), tried to move into America with their "Fresh and Easy" brand. They were up against bigger, better established competitors (though importing one of Britain's worst inventions - the self-service checkout machine - also played a big role in sinking them), and simply could not claw any market share away from them, nor grow the overall size of the market.

[Frank Cox]

My understanding of Cineplex (which may be wrong) is that all or most of their theatres are multiplexes in larger cities. Landmark's closures all seem to be their smaller theatres in smaller locations.

Has Cineplex announced any permanent closures? I haven't heard of any so far.

[Allan Barnes]

CINEPLEX CANADA.... WAIT UNTIL IT FALLS APART, STARTING IN ONTARIO, TOO MANY SCREENS FOR CURRENT MARKET SITUATION. IN ONTARIO, ALL CINEMAS and DRIVE-IN THEATRES ARE STILL CLOSED BECAUSE..... (add excuse here)

[Frank Cox]

Some more of Landmark Cinemas of Canada's theatres are permanently closed: Selkirk Manitoba, Dawson Creek BC, Airdrie Alberta. And Yorkton Sask previously mentioned here.

I think that all of these are single screen theatres except for Airdrie which is (was) a two-screen.

[Terry Monohan]

Brand New Regal Stonestown 12 Galleria opened last week in San Francisco CA. Will replace the small UA Stonestown Twin next door to be torn down soon.

Regal has a first for SF a 4DX® auditorium in Theatre #1 with 140 seats and a first also for SF ScreenX® in Theatre #9 at 204 seats and the so called Regal RPX® large screen in Theatre #12 at 296 seats the largest in the new cinema. They have great looking orange/red glow hallo dim lights around the surround speakers and ceiling speakers but when the movie starts everything is turned off too bad.

Nice color lights in the lobby and hall but they skimped on the full recliner seats. Just a few of the spaces have them. You would think in the extra 3 money fee spaces they would have the deluxe Regal orange/pink big electric full leg recliners. Only just the back head part goes back manually in the fancy deluxe 3 spots. What was so strange the large RPX® auditorium I did not think the sound was that good. Century Theatres in SF at their XD large curved screen house has better base sound and surround sound. Same with the AMC Metreon Dolby Cinema® way better sound and a larger true scope curved screen. In fact some of the smaller 130 and 106 seated new Regal 12 rooms had better base sound then the fancy RPX® house did.

.The new Regal 12 screens are not that curved almost flat. I have no idea if Dolby Atmos® was put into the RPX® Theatre #12 as I did see speakers on the ceiling but no Dolby Atmos® logo was shown before the movie Quite Place 2 was shown. No Dolby Atmos® signs outside Theatre #12 entrance. Klisph® speakers are on the side and back walls. So so sound I thought. The manager David told me that the Dolby® tech guys were coming in Tuesday June 1 to set up and tune Theatre #12 what ever that means.

Like so many new theatres no boxoffice. Many of the local older people coming opening week don't even have a computer as they usually buy tickets at the boxoffice from a live person. Many missed the first part of a movie while trying to buy a ticket and look for a seat from few lobby machines. They did have a helper to show how to purchase seats. Next time I hope they come early or buy online Fango someway..

All 12 of the screens looked very sharp and in focus as they have laser projectors I was told. No masking or curtains mostly square type 1.85 screens. All the cinemas just have boring black walls no nice color scone lights. They do have a red LED light aisle railing strip light but It goes off when the movie starts. The rugs are so flat and the same Regal dull pattern that all their theatres have. No glow look with the nice blue lights in the halls. Time for the Cineworld Regal to bring in better rug people DSCN1745.JPG DSCN1762.JPG DSCN1795.JPG DSCN1847.JPG DSCN1814.JPG DSCN1853.JPG image_1030.jpg DSCN1774.JPG DSCN1950.JPG DSCN2001.JPG The worst for me was the bright green two exit signs that were way too bright in each cinema very distracting, shined on the screen during a dark scene in a movie. On a brand new build you would think this would not happen. One good thing no sound leaking they did a good job with the sound walls!

One of the best features at the brand new Regal Stonestown 12 Galleria is the free parking. Not like downtown SF that can be a challenge to park.

Will try to check out the 4DX® & ScreenX® soon. I think this new cinema will do very well in It's location in San Francisco. check the new place out If you are in SF. Our first new movie theatre in many years.

[Mike Rivest]

In Atlanta, the Silverspot - The Battery opens today (May 28th, 2021) with 10 screens.

[William Kucharski]

The AMC 9+CO 10 at an infill urban site in Denver opened in March at 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in Denver.

• AMC Signature plush, power recliners.
• Heated seating.
• Online ticketing, reserved seating and ticketless entry.
• Dolby Cinema at AMC.
• AMC Feature Fare menu.
• AMC MacGuffins adult beverage concept.
• Mobile Food & Beverage Ordering.
• Private Theatre Rentals at AMC.
• AMC Safe & Clean policies and protocols.

https://www.9news.com/article/entert...6-2e5a3783c0cf

[Mike Rivest]

In 1998 Cinemark tried to enter England at Liverpool, the Movies 12 - Liverpool. Never happened

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Typical mid to late 1970's Showcase. They were always a schlocky chain, perhaps one notch above Carmike. Buildings like that get torn down and replaced because they can never operate efficiently.

[Marcel Birgelen]

Looks like your garden-variety abandoned multiplex to me.
Even though the building is of type "shoebox-deluxe", it still makes me sad to see those places like this.

[Carsten Kurz]

What an ugly building for a cinema. Well, a primary school is a much better outcome for this place I guess.
I hope the locals have other choices.

[Mike Rivest]

Looks like Showcase cinemas are also taking the money and running in England.

[Martin McCaffery]

Looks like the new and improved Eastdale Cinemas (Montgomery, AL) will really open tomorrow, May 21. They have missed several announce opening dates, but their web page is up and running.

https://www.gqtmovies.com/alabama/eastdale-cinemas-montgomery

It, too, will be a discount house, so I guess it will be going head to head with AMC for the first run cheap ticket experience.

[Steve Guttag]

The Ventnor Square theatre in Ventnor City, NJ is set to open this Saturday 5/22/21. 5211 Ventnor Avenue Ventnor City, NJ 08406

It brings back an existing site but now a 3-screen theatre, retaining the front half of the original theatre with an impressive looking, historical, decorations/lighting. It also features NEC Laser projection (NC-3541L), Dolby Atmos/QSC Q-SYS sound (SC-424 stage speakers, QSC and Dolby surround speakers, JBL subwoofers). The back two theatres also feature NEC laser projection (NC-1201L) with QSC/Q-SYS 7.1 audio. The back two theatres also feature VIP balconies.

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[Frank Cox]

Tower Theatre, Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada -- permanently closed effective May 19, 2021.

https://www.facebook.com/LandmarkCinemasTowerYorkton/

This theatre is (was) owned by Landmark Cinemas of Canada, the second largest chain in Canada. (Cineplex is the largest.)

Along with all other theatres in Saskatchewan, the Tower Theatre was temporarily closed in March of 2020, then it re-opened for about three weeks in mid-July, after which they stopped playing movies and were just selling popcorn one or two nights per week. And now that's the end of the Yorkton Tower Theatre.

The Tower is the "next theatre down the road" from mine, so maybe more people from Yorkton will start coming to the show here. Yay for me, I suppose, but it's still sad to see a theatre closing down.