Sony and Alamo Drafthouse announce plans to reopen the iconic Cinerama Dome

Hollywood’s storied Cinerama Dome volition soon beryllium unfastened for concern again.

Following a six-year shutdown prompted by COVID-19, Sony Pictures Entertainment has stepped successful to reconstruct and reopen the historical Hollywood landmark. The dome, which volition support its Cinerama name, volition beryllium operated by Sony Pictures Entertainment’s theatre chain, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the institution announced successful a connection connected Wednesday.

“There is nary moviegoing destination anyplace successful the satellite that commands the affection, history, and taste value of the Cinerama Dome,” Sony Pictures Entertainment Chief Executive Ravi Ahuja said successful a statement.

“This is simply a meaningful infinitesimal for our company, our industry, and Los Angeles. We look guardant to honoring and extending the Dome’s bonzer legacy.”

Renovations connected the Dome volition commencement adjacent period and proceed until aboriginal 2028. Sony said the renovations volition grant “its historical bequest and singular moviegoing experience,” leaving the iconic reddish and bluish exterior lettering intact. The restoration volition besides sphere its immersive large-format curved-screen presentation.

Sony besides has plans to reopen the adjacent 14-screen theatre analyzable that was formerly the ArcLight Cinemas. The theatre volition connection dine-in services arsenic good arsenic curated programming. The theaters volition beryllium equipped to amusement premium formats similar 35mm, 70mm and 4K laser projection.

Both the Dome and the theatre analyzable volition diagnostic repertory screenings, filmmaker series, premieres, and peculiar events.

Unlike the different Alamo Drafthouse locations, the Dome volition not run arsenic a dine-in theater, but volition support its accepted concession experience. The concatenation has precocious travel nether occurrence for switching up the ordering strategy for its in-seat nutrient service, forcing patrons to propulsion retired their phones during a movie.

Inside the ArcLight Cinerama Dome successful 2013 astatine the TCM Classic Film Festival.

(Edward M. Pio Roda)

This woody comes aft Sony Entertainment archetypal purchased the Austin, Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse theatre concatenation successful 2024 and precocious invested $100 cardinal successful the immersive shared world theatre concatenation Cosm, which has locations successful Inglewood, Dallas and Atlanta.

The Cinerama Dome was archetypal opened successful 1963. The theater, located connected Sunset Boulevard, became known for its 86-foot-wide, curved screen. This pioneering exertion allowed audiences to acquisition a panoramic presumption of the film. Its beingness helped signifier a caller epoch of moviegoing formats. Prior to Sony’s purchase, the Dome had agelong been owned by the household of William R. Forman, the laminitis of Pacific Theatres.

This quality comes arsenic the summertime container bureau is experiencing its ain revival. Audiences are flocking to theaters to spot movies similar “Toy Story 5,” “Backrooms” and “Obsession,” among different films. There has been besides been newfound attraction connected theatrical presumption and movie formats, including the highly sought aft 70mm showing of Christopher Nolan’s latest epic, “The Odyssey.”

Times unit writer Mark Olsen contributed to this report.