After more than five years of silence, the Cinerama Dome is coming back to life. Sony Pictures Entertainment announced on July 22 that it will restore and reopen the storied Hollywood theater by early 2028, with its subsidiary Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas operating the venue under a lease agreement with the property's owner, Decurion Corporation's Robertson Property Group [1][2].
Renovations are set to begin next month and are expected to run through 2028 [1].
A Beloved Landmark Gone Dark
The Cinerama Dome opened in 1963, built by Pacific Theatres founder William R. Forman, and quickly became one of Hollywood's most recognizable institutions [2]. Its 86-foot-wide panoramic curved screen was engineered to pull audiences into the viewing experience, and the venue became a go-to destination for splashy premieres — including a special preview screening of Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — as well as one of the city's highest-grossing multiplexes [1].
The theater went dark at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 [2]. When Pacific Theatres and its sister company ArcLight Cinemas filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2021, both chains shuttered all locations permanently, leaving the Dome's fate uncertain and prompting Angelenos to sign petitions and stage demonstrations in hopes of reviving it [1][2].
Sony Steps In
Sony's move into exhibition began in 2024 when it acquired Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, the Austin-founded chain known for its strict no-talking, no-texting policy and dine-in format [1]. That purchase now underpins the Cinerama Dome deal, positioning Alamo Drafthouse as the operational backbone of what Sony is framing as a broader investment in the moviegoing experience.
"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," said Sony Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman [1][2].
Ravi Ahuja, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, struck a similarly emphatic tone: "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. This is a meaningful moment for our company, our industry, and Los Angeles" [1].
What the Restored Complex Will Look Like
The Cinerama Dome itself will not adopt Alamo Drafthouse's signature dine-in service [1][2]. Instead, Sony promises that "its historic legacy and singular moviegoing experience will be honored and carefully preserved, with the iconic 'Cinerama' name and exterior branding left intact" [1]. Programming is expected to include repertory screenings, filmmaker series, premieres, and special events — a slate designed to keep the Dome functioning as a cultural hub rather than a standard commercial multiplex [1].
The restoration will also honor the venue's status as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, preserving "the landmark's distinctive aesthetic character, immersive large-format curved-screen presentation, and traditional concession experience," according to Sony's announcement [2].
The adjacent 14-screen complex, formerly ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood, will be a different story. That building will reopen as a full Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, complete with the chain's dine-in services [1]. The multiplex will also retain 35mm projection capabilities for archival film prints and will house several premium format screens, including 70mm auditoriums — a nod to the cinephile community that has long gravitated toward the Hollywood corridor [1].
Alamo Drafthouse's West Coast Flagship
For Alamo Drafthouse, the deal represents a significant expansion of its Los Angeles footprint. The chain currently operates a 10-screen cinema in downtown Los Angeles and 39 other locations across the country [1]. The Hollywood complex would become its West Coast flagship.
"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," said Michael Kustermann, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse and Head of Sony Pictures Experiences. "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" [1].
Alamo Drafthouse itself has not been without turbulence. The chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021 amid the pandemic's prolonged damage to the theater industry before Sony stepped in to acquire it three years later [1]. More recently, the chain has drawn some criticism from purists after replacing its traditional pen-and-paper server ordering system with a new mobile ordering service [1].
What to Watch Next
Renovations beginning next month will be the first concrete test of Sony's ambitions for the site. The 2028 target reopening date leaves room for delays, and the specifics of the Cinerama Dome's programming slate — particularly how it will balance prestige premieres with the repertory and archival screenings Sony has promised — remain to be detailed. Whether the restored Dome can reclaim its status as one of the country's premier moviegoing destinations, in an era when theatrical exhibition continues to face structural headwinds, will be the longer story to follow.