Hollywood’s iconic Cinerama Dome will finally reopen, thanks to Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Sony and wholly-owned subsidiary Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, will reopen and restore the Cinerama Dome, officially designated a Los Angeles Historical Cultural Monument, in the heart of Hollywood following a six-year shutdown that began during the COVID pandemic and continued through parent company Pacific Theaters declaration of bankruptcy. The deal “reinforces SPE’s long-held commitment to theatrical exhibition and expands its investment in distinctive entertainment experiences.”
The “restorative renovations” will start next month and continue through early 2028. “Its historic legacy and singular moviegoing experience will be honored and carefully preserved, with the iconic Cinerama name and exterior branding left intact. The restoration will honor the landmark’s distinctive aesthetic character, immersive large-format curved-screen presentation and traditional concession experience that have made it a beloved destination for generations,” according to a Wednesday press release.
The Dome will not operate as a dine-in theater, as is the style for Alamo Drafthouse locations. Instead, “Its traditional programming will be complemented by Alamo Drafthouse’s signature programming, including repertory screenings, filmmaker series, premieres and special events.”
The adjacent 14-screen theater complex, formerly the ArcLight Hollywood location, will also reopen as an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. This theater will offer the Drafthouse’s usual mixture of new releases and repertory screenings, plus events, designated karaoke rooms and fan celebrations. While a longstanding fan favorite, the Drafthouse has come under fire in recent months with its decision to emphasize mobile ordering for food and beverage – after years of railing against the use of phones in-theater, leading many Drafthouse diehards to revolt against the chain, which started in Austin, Texas, decades ago.
The new Alamo Drafthouse location next to the Cinerama Dome “will retain 35mm capabilities to showcase archival film prints and house several premium format screens with immersive audio and 4K laser projection, including 70mm capabilities.”
“There is no moviegoing destination anywhere in the world that commands the affection, history, and cultural significance of the Cinerama Dome. It represents the kind of singular experience we value and champion,” SPE Chairman/CEO Ravi Ahuja said in a statement. “This is a meaningful moment for our company, our industry, and Los Angeles. We look forward to honoring and extending the Dome’s extraordinary legacy.”
“Hot damn! We’re bringing the Dome back, baby. We believe in moviegoing down to our soul, and no venue on earth stands more for that than the one-of-a-kind Dome. I am deeply proud that Sony is investing in Hollywood, literally,” SPE Motion Picture Group Chairman/CEO Tom Rothman echoed. “The Dome has hosted generations of unforgettable movie moments. Our goal is to preserve its legendary history while ensuring it remains vibrant now and far into the future.”
The Cinerama Dome was opened in 1963, a geodesic dome developed by American architect R. Buckminster Fuller, as a faster, more cost-effective way of building a theater of comparable size, with an 86-foot-wide, deeply curved screen. It was the first new major movie theater in Hollywood in 33 years, and was completed in time for the premiere of “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” As the official release notes, the theater “helped pioneer a new era of large-format cinematic presentation and remains one of the most distinctive moviegoing environments ever created,” and was a mainstay for film fanatics in the decades that followed. (You’ll recall that Quentin Tarantino was bent out of shape by Disney monopolizing the screen for “The Force Awakens” when he badly wanted it for “The Hateful Eight.”)
The first Columbia premiere at the Cinerama Dome was Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” (See above.)
“For 30 years we have championed the kind of theatrical experience that turns a screening into an event, and created spaces where people come together to celebrate cinema. As our new West Coast flagship, we will offer extraordinary programming and events, while returning to Los Angeles one of its most beloved and culturally significant moviegoing destinations,” added Michael Kustermann, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse and Head of Sony Pictures Experiences.
The deal “builds on SPE’s 2024 purchase of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and recent investment in Cosm, strengthening the studio’s experiences strategy to deepen fan engagement and connection to IP,” the company further noted.
