The iconic Cinerama Dome theater in Hollywood, closed since the pandemic’s onset, will not welcome patrons until 2025, according to undisclosed sources. While numerous theaters resumed operations post-COVID shutdowns, the Cinerama Dome and adjacent Arclight Theatres, owned by Decurion Corporation, opted for prolonged closure even after Pacific Theatres declared bankruptcy in 2021. Decurion, retaining the rights to the Arclight and Pacific brand names at the 14-screen Arclight Hollywood and the Cinerama Dome, obtained a liquor license in 2022 and hinted at rebranding the complex as Cinerama Hollywood.
Following Pacific Theatres’ bankruptcy, Decurion subsidiary Pacific Theaters surrendered other Arclight locations, with new operators taking charge. Amazon now oversees the Culver City venue, while Regal manages the Pasadena theaters. The fate of the Santa Monica multiplex hangs in the balance, possibly transforming into a digital art installation.
Initial reports of the delayed 2025 reopening surfaced via Deadline, citing the need for additional time to complete renovations. Constructed in 1963 by William Forman, the Hollywood Cinerama Dome, one of several across the nation, debuted with the premiere of “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” Despite the closure’s impact on Los Angeles moviegoers, recent positive developments include the reopening of Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre, the Vista in Los Feliz, Vidiots in Eagle Rock, and Landmark’s new Sunset Boulevard and Pasadena locations. The saga of the Arclight and Cinerama Dome theaters continues, juxtaposed with a renewed cinematic landscape in other notable venues.
