ArcLight Cinemas facts for kids

ArcLight Cinemas was a chain of movie theaters in the United States. It operated from 2002 to 2021. The company was owned by The Decurion Corporation. This company also owned Pacific Theatres.

ArcLight Cinemas started with one theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles in 2002. It grew to have eleven locations. These theaters were in California, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Illinois.

ArcLight was known for new ideas in movie watching. They were among the first to offer assigned seating. They also had comfy reclining chairs. Many locations had places to eat and drink inside. Before each movie, an employee would introduce the film. Also, no one was allowed into the theater after the movie had started.

In March 2020, ArcLight Cinemas closed temporarily. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 12, 2021, the company announced that all ArcLight and Pacific Theatres would close for good. They said they could not find a way to keep going after the pandemic. Most former ArcLight locations were later bought by other theater companies. The original ArcLight Hollywood location, however, has plans for a future reopening.

ArcLight Cinemas: Where Were They?

ArcLight Hollywood: The First Theater

ArcLight Cinemas and the Cinerama Dome.

The ArcLight Hollywood was the very first theater in the chain. It opened on March 22, 2002. This theater was in Hollywood, California. It had 15 screens with special stadium seating. The sound and picture quality were very high, with THX certification. It was right next to the famous Cinerama Dome.

The courtyard entrance of the ArcLight Hollywood complex.

When you bought a ticket, you picked your exact seat. The theater would not let you pick a seat if it left a single empty seat next to an already reserved one. This helped make sure all seats were used.

Before the movie, only trailers were shown. An usher would introduce the film. They would also remind everyone to turn off their cell phones. Ushers stayed for a few minutes to check the sound and picture. If a movie had already started, you could not enter. This was part of their promise for "Your Movie Time Uninterrupted."

In 2008, ArcLight Hollywood started using digital projectors. They still kept some 35mm projectors for special old films. The theater often showed movie props and costumes. It also displayed local art.

Other ArcLight Locations

ArcLight opened many other theaters over the years:

• ArcLight Sherman Oaks opened in November 2007 in California.
• A location in Pasadena opened in May 2010.
• ArcLight Beach Cities in El Segundo opened in November 2010.
• ArcLight La Jolla in San Diego opened in November 2012. This was its first location outside Los Angeles County.
• The first theater outside California opened in Bethesda, Maryland in October 2014.
• Two locations opened near Chicago in Illinois in 2015. One was in Glenview and the other in Lincoln Park.
• A theater in Culver City, California opened in May 2015.
• ArcLight Santa Monica opened in November 2015 in Santa Monica, California.
• The first location in the Northeastern U.S. opened in Boston, Massachusetts in November 2019.

Why ArcLight Cinemas Closed

As mentioned, ArcLight Cinemas closed temporarily in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 12, 2021, the company announced the permanent closure of all ArcLight and Pacific Theatres. They stated that they could not find a way to continue their business after the pandemic. The owner of Santa Monica Place later said ArcLight owed them money for rent.

What Happened to the Theaters After Closing?

Future of ArcLight Hollywood

In June 2022, there were plans to reopen the ArcLight Hollywood and Cinerama Dome. The new name would be Cinerama Hollywood. It was planned to include restaurants and bars. However, the reopening was delayed several times. As of August 2025, the future of this location is still uncertain. A petition to reopen it has gathered many signatures.

Other ArcLight Theaters Find New Owners

Most other ArcLight locations were taken over by different movie theater companies:

• In June 2021, Regal Cinemas took over the ArcLight in Sherman Oaks Galleria. It reopened as a Regal theater in July 2021. Regal added special screens like IMAX and 4DX.
• Landmark Theaters acquired the Glenview, Illinois, location in November 2021. It reopened as a Landmark theater in 2022.
• AMC Theatres took over the ArcLight Chicago 14 in Lincoln Park, Chicago in December 2021. It reopened as an AMC theater in April 2022.
• In February 2022, AMC also acquired the ArcLight locations in San Diego, California and Bethesda, Maryland. They reopened shortly after.
• AMC also took over the Boston location in December 2022. It reopened as an AMC theater in November 2023.
• Amazon acquired the Culver City, California location in July 2022. It reopened as the Culver Theatre in December 2022.
• Regal acquired the Pasadena, California location in April 2023. It reopened as a Regal theater in June 2023.
• Cinema West Theaters took over the El Segundo, California location in November 2023. It reopened as "CinemaWest Beach Cities" in February 2025.

As of August 2025, the Santa Monica location is the only former ArcLight theater that has not reopened. Plans for that building include an immersive digital art museum.