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

[Ed Gordon]

My hope would be they reimplemented 35mm capacity. Or added digital. If they kept original equipment it that would be a very interesting booth to work in, carbons perhaps, older simplex maybe?

Yes, probably they probably used carbon arc. The projection booth was added to show silent/sound so it must be have been built to meet the standards for showing nitrate film. I do know that there are 35mm projectors from the early 1900's that have be re-furbished and work just fine. I doubt any digital projectors will last that long.

That theater is a two hour trip from me. It might be fun to contact them and ask for a tour!

We're off to see the wizard,
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!
We hear he is a whiz of whiz if ever a whiz there was
If ever oh ever a whiz there was
The Wizard of Oz is one because
because, becuase, because, because, becaaaauuuussseee...
Because of the wonderful things he does...
We're off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz!!!!

[Frank Cox]

No details are given as to why the fire marshal and the county as relaxing the rules

I suspect they realized that nitrate film won't be used in the theatre today.

[Ryan Gallagher]

My hope would be they reimplemented 35mm capacity. Or added digital. If they kept original equipment it that would be a very interesting booth to work in, carbons perhaps, older simplex maybe?

[Ed Gordon]

Here is a story of a theater that opened in 1906 in the small town of Port Gamble, Washington.

When the movies came, Port Gamble converted its theater to offer both silent films and “talkies.” They converted a portion of the balcony into a projection booth. This projection booth was in use until 1958 when the last film was shown. While exploring the projection booth when we first moved in, we found 2 projectors, a bottle of acetone, and a pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes next to the bottle. We have always wondered about that.

From 1958 to 2011, the theater was used only on occasion for local community events. The theater could be used only under strict rules, as the fire marshal and county had concerns.

Source: https://portgambletheater.com/theater-history

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It took 67 years, but this month movies will be returning to the Port Gamble theater.

May 17 1pm and 6:30PM

VINTAGE CINEMA RETURNS

Cinema is BACK after a 68 Year Hiatus!

Join us as we celebrate the return of the BIG screen with our Vintage Cinema Series- Starting with the 1939 Hollywood Golden Era classic- The Wizard of Oz. Dress your favorite character with a costume parade, familiar tunes and Featuring a special guest appearance of Paul Schneider from the Wizard of Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas for a deep dive into the OZ landscape. This is a 'pay what you can' event!

No details are given as to why the fire marshal and the county as relaxing the rules that the "theater could be used only under strict rules". I suspect the management of the Port Gamble promised local authorities that the projectionist who smoked Lucky Strikes would not be returning.

[Allan Barnes]

Memory Lane Drive-In (MONROE MI) PERMANENTLY CLOSED. To quote from their website and FaceBook page.................

We sincerely regret to inform everyone that the decision has been made to permanently close Memory Lane Drive-In.
In the last 4 years 35% of the remaining drive-ins in the United States have closed their doors forever citing a combination of multiple reasons including but not limited to poor attendance, streaming, and lack of concessions support. The last one is key especially for drive-ins. Memory Lane has suffered the same fate for the same reasons.

We will continue to operate the Sundance Drive-In located in Oregon, Ohio with hopes that it can survive given its 76 year history and proximity to a larger population. Renovations to the drive-in have already been started with a newly remodeled concessions stand and many more updates are planned for the future. If you love going to a drive-in please visit us and help keep this part of American history alive.

Thank you to EVERYONE that has visited us at Memory Lane Drive-In. We greatly appreciate you supporting what we fought so hard to bring to the area.

[Bobby Henderson]

I remember visiting that theater the summer Santikos opened it in 2013. I saw Star Trek: Into Darkness there. The theater location is in the Western exhurbs of the Houston metro, next to the Grand Parkway (Houston's third loop highway). I don't know why the location apparently isn't working for a big movie theater. Plenty of retail stores are nearby and the housing in the surrounding areas is all somewhat upper income. Maybe the residents are tapped out with what they're paying for mortgages and property taxes; not enough spare change left over to visit the cinema.

[Scott Jentsch]

The Cinemark Long Meadow and XD, IMAX, ScreenX in Richmond, Texas has closed. This was originally a Santikos location and then switched from Regal to Cinemark in 2023.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

I think AMC normally just puts in 1 Dolby Cinema screen. Those actually (at least the two I've been two) have very good presentation because Dolby is supplying all of the equipment. I'm surprised they did a 14 screen new build. With the current state of the industry and the shrinking exclusive windows I would think 10 screens is the max necessary.

One screen is't going to help that place. Until they learn where the volume control is at

[Leo Enticknap]

My favorite "theater/church" story (though thankfully, it didn't actually happen) was when I was living in England in the early '00s. I was walking past York Minster (one of the most historically significant buildings in Europe, parts of which date from the 7th Century) with a co-worker, who remarked, "If only we could get those religious nuts out of there, that place would make a great IMAX 4-plex! You'd need to board up all those stained glass windows, though ... the acoustics would be crappy otherwise."

[Lyle Romer]

AMC built a new 14 screen theater about three miles from me, and then closed the old 8 plex down the street and it too is now a church. It's also located right behind a McDonalds, Hardies, and Burger King. So there HAS to be some connection to the spiritual burger places or something like that. Oh, and they moved the old Sony projectors to the new site. They also put Dolby Cinema in a month or two ago, but they don't say on all screens or just one or two. And frankly, I don't really give a dam! It's still AMC...

I think AMC normally just puts in 1 Dolby Cinema screen. Those actually (at least the two I've been two) have very good presentation because Dolby is supplying all of the equipment. I'm surprised they did a 14 screen new build. With the current state of the industry and the shrinking exclusive windows I would think 10 screens is the max necessary.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Cinemark Movies 14 McKinney is now One Community Church. Not sure what they need all that space for.

Josh

AMC built a new 14 screen theater about three miles from me, and then closed the old 8 plex down the street and it too is now a church. It's also located right behind a McDonalds, Hardies, and Burger King. So there HAS to be some connection to the spiritual burger places or something like that. Oh, and they moved the old Sony projectors to the new site. They also put Dolby Cinema in a month or two ago, but they don't say on all screens or just one or two. And frankly, I don't really give a dam! It's still AMC...

[Leo Enticknap]

14 different churches?

Wow - you could get everyone from Eckankar to the Scientologists in there!

[Jarod Reddig]

In Hays KS, as of April 4th 2025, the AMC Mall Cinema 8 has permanently shut down. This is my hometown cinema that I’ve frequented since the 80s and I am very sad it has closed up.

[Martin Brooks]

The National Amusements Showcase Concourse Plaza 10 in the Bronx, NY, which closed in May of 2024, reopened as the Regal Concourse 10 with a total of about 1900 seats. That gives the Bronx two theaters and 23 screens (for almost 1.4 million people).
There's rumors that someone is going to reopen the also-shuttered National Amusements Showcase Jamaica 15 (Jamaica, Queens, NY), which closed 11 months ago.

Also, the Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn location added 5 screens, bringing the total to 12 this past August. 978 seats total.

[Scott Norwood]

Cinemark Movies 14 McKinney is now One Community Church. Not sure what they need all that space for.

14 different churches?