The Jason Reitman-led consortium of filmmakers, the Village Directors Circle (VDC), united to save the historic Westwood Village Theater. Now, they are partnering with the Los Angeles-based non-profit American Cinematheque to operate and program the century-old movie palace.
The partnership was announced by Reitman and AC chair Rick Nicita on Tuesday, with a goal to reopen the theater in 2027.
The theater, located in the center of Westwood Village in Los Angeles, was acquired by the Village Directors Circle, a partnership comprised of more than 30 celebrated filmmakers, with a commitment to raise funds to completely restore and remodel the famed movie palace into a multi-purpose screening and event facility. According to a press release, “The American Cinematheque will program, manage and be the operating partner for the 1000+-seat theater with active participation from the filmmakers.”
Reitman shared in a statement: “Last year, some of the greatest living directors rallied to save a Los Angeles monument, The Village Theater in Westwood. We often like to think of movie theaters as churches. If so, the Village is a cathedral, and with the American Cinematheque, we found our congregation.”
The remodeled theater will be “home to special screenings with in-person conversations, awards season events, new theatrical releases, retrospectives and tributes, as well as AC’s long-established year-round programming and popular AC film festivals such as Beyond Fest, Bleak Week, This Is Not a Fiction and Ultra Cinematheque 70, and exciting new festivals.” The partners also intend to “continue the famed theater’s nearly 100-year legacy of hosting theatrical world premieres. The lobby will be used as a multi-purpose space for concessions, exhibits of artifacts from VDC members’ personal collections, retail kiosks and an event space for premieres.”
The vision for the new version of the theater is to have it be a cultural center within Westwood Village, which is going through its own renovation. The theater offers, according to those involved, “an unmatched opportunity: a historic theater brought back to life amidst a revitalized neighborhood, energized by UCLA and positioned for the global spotlight of the Summer Olympic Games in 2028.”
Nicita said in another statement: “Partnering with the brilliant and virtuoso Village Directors Circle to renovate the Village Theater is an exciting milestone for the American Cinematheque. We are thrilled to bring our expertise in film programming to Westwood, breathing new life into this iconic venue. Our goal is to create a vibrant cultural hub that not only celebrates cinema but also enriches the community and welcomes audiences from all over Los Angeles and the world.”
Reitman added: “The American Cinematheque shares the directors’ vision for showcasing new work, rediscovering classics, and building filmmaker-curated programs. The Village Theater has also been the home for show-stopping Hollywood premieres since 1930, and we’re committed to carrying that tradition forward. We want to give audiences a place to experience the films they love with the people they love.”
Reitman and AC are currently in the quiet phase of a $25 million capital campaign to transform the existing space. Reitman noted that he is very excited by the early leadership commitments both from individuals and a major technology sponsor, with construction scheduled to commence early next year.
In addition to Reitman, previously announced partners of the Village Directors Circle include J.J. Abrams, Judd Apatow, Damien Chazelle, Chris Columbus, Ryan Coogler, Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Jonathan Dayton, Guillermo del Toro, Valerie Faris, Hannah Fidell, Alejandro González Iñárritu, James Gunn, Sian Heder, Rian Johnson, Gil Kenan, Karyn Kusama, Justin Lin, Phil Lord, David Lowery, Christopher McQuarrie, Chris Miller, Christopher Nolan, Alexander Payne, Todd Phillips, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Jay Roach, Seth Rogen, Emma Seligman, Brad Silberling, Steven Spielberg, Emma Thomas, Denis Villeneuve, Lulu Wang and Chloé Zhao.
