Seattle’s Grand Illusion Cinema to take over Varsity Theatre
Sep. 22, 2026 at 12:22 pm
image.png
By
Chase Hutchinson
Special to The Seattle Times
The Grand Illusion Cinema, a single-screen moviehouse that’d been in Seattle’s University District for more than 50 years before closing in January 2025, is coming home.
The movie theater announced Tuesday it will take over the three-screen Varsity Theatre, which closed its doors in the U District earlier this year, with plans to reopen in November or December and to show movies every day of the week.
The news is something the Grand Illusion, a volunteer-run nonprofit since 2004, has been working toward since closing. In the meantime, Grand Illusion has done pop-up screenings in the city at theaters like SIFF and the Northwest Film Forum, often selling out showings of films you couldn’t see anywhere else.
Brian Alter, executive director of the Grand Illusion, said the University District used to be a bustling area for movies, but that movie theaters have been “totally absent” since the Varsity closure. Related
Seattle’s U District no longer the moviegoing hub it once was
“There used to be like 16 screens or something in the University District,” Alter said. “So a big part of (why we chose this space) is the history of that neighborhood and movie theater scene.”
In addition to filling a cinema void in the University District, Alter said that the nonprofit chose the Varsity because it was given a 10-year lease, plus the option to renew for shorter but still significant durations going forward. That stability was key, Alter said.
“We wanted a long-term lease,” Alter said. “We don’t wanna … put all of this time and effort into building a movie theater and then have them kick us out after five years.”
When the staff first looked at the Varsity space this year, they were “pretty inspired” and saw potential for a new home. Not only was it in “good shape” — not always a guarantee for older theaters — but the fact that they would have three screens instead of one was a real positive.
Alter said having three screens will allow Grand Illusion to have “one big main auditorium where we can showcase all of the stuff that we do,” as well as smaller theaters that could be used for rentals or “smaller movies that we would show at the Grand Illusion at the old place.”
This means the theater will continue the adventurous programming that it’s become known for, where one week you could see films like Shatara Michelle Ford’s “Dreams in Nightmares” or Kristen Stewart’s “The Chronology of Water” and the next you could see a screening of the cult hit “Hundreds of Beavers.”
“It’ll be kind of the same as what we’ve always done, but we’ll just be able to do a little more,” Alter said. “A lot of movies are kind of getting lost in the shuffle of the lack of theaters in Seattle. The Guild’s gone, Seven Gables is gone. The Egyptian, gone right now, coming back soon. … So there was a hole in the programming and the amount of things that could be shown over the past couple of years.”
There will be adjustments made to the space, but the core mission will remain the same as Alter said they’ve shown they can make this work financially with the quality of their programming.
Alter said the main auditorium will have “way over 200 seats,” while the upstairs theaters will hold “80 or 90” and “130 or 140” seats apiece.
“We’re not gonna start booking these huge blockbusters in there,” Alter said. But the larger space will provide flexibility, whether to host screenings for larger audiences or to upgrade screenings from the small theaters to the big one.
Alter said Grand Illusion plans to install a 4K laser projector for the main auditorium and plan to bring in their 35mm projectors for that same space. He said they’ll launch a fundraiser with a goal of raising approximately $200,000 to assist with these and any other ongoing improvements they want to make at the space, encouraging those looking to show their support by donating or purchasing a membership through their website at grandillusioncinema.org/support/.
But more than anything, Alter hopes people will just continue coming out to see movies with them this year and beyond.
“Everybody’s a volunteer, so anytime somebody buys a ticket, that money is getting funneled directly back into what we do, which is just paying the rent there, obviously, but also paying to show more movies.”
Sep. 22, 2026 at 12:22 pm
image.png
By
Chase Hutchinson
Special to The Seattle Times
The Grand Illusion Cinema, a single-screen moviehouse that’d been in Seattle’s University District for more than 50 years before closing in January 2025, is coming home.
The movie theater announced Tuesday it will take over the three-screen Varsity Theatre, which closed its doors in the U District earlier this year, with plans to reopen in November or December and to show movies every day of the week.
The news is something the Grand Illusion, a volunteer-run nonprofit since 2004, has been working toward since closing. In the meantime, Grand Illusion has done pop-up screenings in the city at theaters like SIFF and the Northwest Film Forum, often selling out showings of films you couldn’t see anywhere else.
Brian Alter, executive director of the Grand Illusion, said the University District used to be a bustling area for movies, but that movie theaters have been “totally absent” since the Varsity closure. Related
Seattle’s U District no longer the moviegoing hub it once was
“There used to be like 16 screens or something in the University District,” Alter said. “So a big part of (why we chose this space) is the history of that neighborhood and movie theater scene.”
In addition to filling a cinema void in the University District, Alter said that the nonprofit chose the Varsity because it was given a 10-year lease, plus the option to renew for shorter but still significant durations going forward. That stability was key, Alter said.
“We wanted a long-term lease,” Alter said. “We don’t wanna … put all of this time and effort into building a movie theater and then have them kick us out after five years.”
When the staff first looked at the Varsity space this year, they were “pretty inspired” and saw potential for a new home. Not only was it in “good shape” — not always a guarantee for older theaters — but the fact that they would have three screens instead of one was a real positive.
Alter said having three screens will allow Grand Illusion to have “one big main auditorium where we can showcase all of the stuff that we do,” as well as smaller theaters that could be used for rentals or “smaller movies that we would show at the Grand Illusion at the old place.”
This means the theater will continue the adventurous programming that it’s become known for, where one week you could see films like Shatara Michelle Ford’s “Dreams in Nightmares” or Kristen Stewart’s “The Chronology of Water” and the next you could see a screening of the cult hit “Hundreds of Beavers.”
“It’ll be kind of the same as what we’ve always done, but we’ll just be able to do a little more,” Alter said. “A lot of movies are kind of getting lost in the shuffle of the lack of theaters in Seattle. The Guild’s gone, Seven Gables is gone. The Egyptian, gone right now, coming back soon. … So there was a hole in the programming and the amount of things that could be shown over the past couple of years.”
There will be adjustments made to the space, but the core mission will remain the same as Alter said they’ve shown they can make this work financially with the quality of their programming.
Alter said the main auditorium will have “way over 200 seats,” while the upstairs theaters will hold “80 or 90” and “130 or 140” seats apiece.
“We’re not gonna start booking these huge blockbusters in there,” Alter said. But the larger space will provide flexibility, whether to host screenings for larger audiences or to upgrade screenings from the small theaters to the big one.
Alter said Grand Illusion plans to install a 4K laser projector for the main auditorium and plan to bring in their 35mm projectors for that same space. He said they’ll launch a fundraiser with a goal of raising approximately $200,000 to assist with these and any other ongoing improvements they want to make at the space, encouraging those looking to show their support by donating or purchasing a membership through their website at grandillusioncinema.org/support/.
But more than anything, Alter hopes people will just continue coming out to see movies with them this year and beyond.
“Everybody’s a volunteer, so anytime somebody buys a ticket, that money is getting funneled directly back into what we do, which is just paying the rent there, obviously, but also paying to show more movies.”
Kristin Hunt/PhillyVoice
Kristin Hunt/PhillyVoice
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