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

[William Kucharski]

Kerasotes closed four Showplace ICON theaters in major locations on July 2, most had only been open six or less years:

• Mountain View, California (San Antonio Center)
• San Jose, California (Valley Fair)
• Chicago (South Loop)
• St. Louis Park (Minneapolis)

[Leo Enticknap]

Article

Major UK cinema chain 'will announce plans tomorrow to close around 25 UK cinemas and axe hundreds of jobs' in new bid to save the ailing screen chain

By Katherine Lawton

Published: 03:32 EDT, 25 July 2024 | Updated: 06:05 EDT, 25 July 2024

Cineworld is reportedly set to close around 25 UK cinemas and axe hundreds of jobs under a new plan to save the ailing screen chain.

The cinema operator will publish details of a restructuring plan tomorrow that will result in the site closures across the UK.

Sources said around half a dozen Cineworld cinemas would begin a closure process immediately and shut for good this summer, according to Sky News.

It comes as many customers blamed the cinema chain's decline on its prices, claiming a family trip to the cinema has become too expensive.

The company has been in preliminary talks with large commercial landlords, such as Landsec and Legal & General, about the restructuring plans.

Some landlords are reportedly considering rejecting the proposals, but it remains unclear whether this would be in sufficient number to stop the restructuring plan.

The company is being advised by AlixPartners.

It is expected that other cinema operators could step in and take over some of Cineworld's closed sites.

A Cineworld spokesperson previously said in a statement: 'We continue to review our options but we don't comment on rumours and speculation.'

Cineworld customers say chain has priced them out of trips to the movies as it plans to axe 25 sites

After the news of the closures broke on social media, a number of cinema-goers took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their views.

One commenter said: 'With cinemas being so over priced and given that films now take less time before they end up on streams I'm not surprised.

'Does anyone remember orange Wednesdays and Saturday morning pictures for £1.. ah the good old days.'

Earlier this month, Cineworld customers said the chain has priced them out of trips to the movies.

MailOnline calculated a family of four going to see a film in 4DX along with snacks and drinks could now cost as much as an eye-watering £105.

That's for a family of four to see a 4DX screening of Inside Out 2 at Wandsworth in London, buying two large popcorns, two large hot dogs, confectionary for the two children and four large soft drinks.

And that's without splashing out on special 3D glasses - which cost £5 a pair.

However, prices may vary depending on where the Cineworld is located.

Cineworld disputed MailOnline's figures and claimed a Family Special deal would be cheaper, although this would take customer research and would not available for everyone.

A spokeswoman said: 'With the Cineworld Family Ticket, for example, adults pay kids' prices, so it costs just £31.96 (£7.99 per person) for a family of four to see a regular 2D screening of Inside Out 2 at Cineworld Wandsworth.

'By upgrading to 4DX with a family ticket, adults still pay kids' prices, and families get the added enjoyment of stimulating effects like water, wind, lightning, bubbles and moving seats.

'Family tickets also come with a discount on food with a Family Special for £19, which includes a regular popcorn, two regular soft drinks, plus two Munchboxes.'

MailOnline has contacted Cineworld for comment.

[William Kucharski]

Athens, GA

Beechwood Cinemas closing doors for final time on Thursday

https://www.onlineathens.com/story/e...y/74547313007/

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Via Paul Rayton... Apparently, the Bruin is closing down permanently. Regency Theaters has NOT renewed their long time lease. We also had a Regency Location in Salt Lake City at Trolley Mall that I used to service, but it only lasted a few years...

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Kerasotes closed four Showplace ICON theaters in major locations on July 2, most had only been open six or less years:

• Mountain View, California (San Antonio Center)
• San Jose, California (Valley Fair)
• Chicago (South Loop)
• St. Louis Park (Minneapolis)

William, I grew up in Illinois. I've never been overly impressed by Kerasoates or the other GKC Theaters which for most of it's life was run by a different Kerasoates Brother. I've always felt they are more of a "me too" theater chain. They do have a number of good locations, and the presentations are ok. But just like the rest of the chains, they are nothing more than multiple boxes with screens a projector and uncomfortable recliners. GKC no longer exists and their sites were bought up by AMC and others...

[Steve Guttag]

The Moorlyn Square 4 has opened (previously known as the Moorlyn Stadium 4) in Ocean City, NJ. The Moorlyn Square is owned/operated by the same Town Square Theatres that run the Cape Square, Harbor Square, Tilton Square and Ventnor Square.

All screens at the Moorlyn feature 7.1 sound with 4K projection (and motorized masking...yes people that care about presentation do put motorized masking in).

https://www.squaretheatres.com/locations/moorlyn-square

[William Kucharski]

Via Paul Rayton... Apparently, the Bruin is closing down permanently.

Its future is unknown. It may be closing permanently but that is not a given.

The building has historical status so it won't be torn down for condos with retail on the first floor, but it could become a gym for all we know.

(I recall when it was thought the same might happen to the former ArcLight theaters since the Dome itself is protected.)

[Harold Hallikainen]

Landmark shutting down Denver's Chez Artiste after shutting down Esquire last month. We were part of a Meetup movie group that saw a lot of movies at these two theaters.

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/08/06/chez-artiste-closing-landmark-theatres-movies-denver/

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Last year Landmark closed about a dozen locations across the USA...

It's owned by Mark Cuban, so you can bet that any slim performing sites won't be around long...

[Ian Puffenberger]

The entire Landmark chain is set to hit the auction block in November:

https://deadline.com/2024/08/landmark-curzon-cinemas-charles-cohen-foreclosure-auction-1236039527/

The loss of this entire chain would be devastating for the art house scene in a lot of cities, and could quite possibly portend the death of art house cinema as an art form as all such movies will just be dumped on tv. Local to myself, this probably explains why the Landmark Bethesda Row has been shrinking their operation over the last couple weeks. It's an eight screen theater but they only have six operating this week, and starting Friday it's down to five.

[Harold Hallikainen]

Since this is a bankruptcy auction, I wonder if a buyer could make a profit showing movies (and selling popcorn) if they were not stuck with the huge debt.

On another note, a local non-profit theater is expanding. See https://loftcinema.org/support-the-loft/campaign/ .

Harold

[Daniel Fredrickson]

Village Centre Cinemas 8 in Pullman, WA. Closing tomorrow, 09/05/2024.

They say that they are closing because of "high taxes and minimum wage," however I suspect that is only part of the story; otherwise no smaller theaters/chains would still exist in the State of Washington.

https://www.krem.com/article/news/lo...1-3e3df0a9aa36

[Frank Cox]

The Orpheum Theatre in Estevan, Saskatchewan is closed for "several months" due to flooding.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/orpheum-theatre-estevan-movie-cinema-1.7318215

[Jim Cassedy]

Kerasotes closed four Showplace ICON theaters
in major locations on July 2, most had only been open six or less years:

• Mountain View, California (San Antonio Center)
• San Jose, California (Valley Fair)
• Chicago (South Loop)
• St. Louis Park (Minneapolis)

According to a recent press release, the theater in Mountain View is one that Alamo
Drafthouse is planning on re-opening under its' own brand. The press release also
mentioned The Valley Fair as a 2nd location Alamo was attempting to acquire

[William Kucharski]

“Well, we're closing because of a change in the way that people do movies,” MacGregor said. “They don't go and sit together in a big theater any longer and enjoy the thrills together. They stay at home and they watch by themselves. And I find that really sad.”