In April 2021, the renowned Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles appeared as a silent emblem of the movie industry’s downturn during the COVID pandemic. Yet, plans for its revival are now underway, with SONY Pictures and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema spearheading efforts to reopen this legendary site in 2028.
SONY Pictures has announced it will lease and restore the iconic theater. Alamo Drafthouse will handle programming and operations for the dome and 14 additional screens at the attached multiplex. “We believe in moviegoing down to our soul”, exclaimed Tom Rothman, CEO of SONY Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group. He emphasized the Dome’s unique standing in the moviegoing world.
“Hot damn! We’re bringing the Dome back, baby,” Rothman stated.
According to Michael O’Leary, who leads Cinema United, the Cinerama Dome’s resurgence symbolizes a shift past the pandemic’s challenges for movie theaters. This sentiment resonates with Escott Norton, a former executive director of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation, who recalls the anticipation surrounding the theater’s return. Norton, who has a personal history with the Dome, remembers immersive experiences watching movies like Close Encounters and Apocalypse Now there.
The Cinerama Dome, built in 1963 by William Forman of Pacific Theaters, was designed to showcase Cinerama films, a widescreen format from the 1950s. Constructed swiftly in just 16 weeks, it premiered with It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, a comedy featuring stars like Sid Caesar and Milton Berle. The film ran for two years straight at the Dome.
Over the years, the theater has become a pivotal destination for cinephiles. Its exterior has been transformed to mirror the films it screened, including decorations for Godzilla, Shrek, and other beloved characters. The Dome hosted numerous premieres, one of which was Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. His relationship with the Dome extends beyond filmmaking; he once stated his admiration for the landmark during the Cinerama Dome’s financial struggles in the pandemic.
The Dome’s potential demise prompted action from various preservationists, including Benjamin Steinberg, known for his role in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. His campaign to save the theater included street rallies and a petition amassing over 30,000 signatures. Steinberg projected the Forman family’s images on the Dome to urge reopening, an act that drew significant attention and momentum to the cause.
Norton, a preservationist, recognized Steinberg’s impact. “We were all working behind the scenes. But Ben Steinberg really got on board on social media to save the dome,” he noted, emphasizing the need to “rattle the chains sometimes.”
As plans advance, Sony pledges to honor the Cinerama Dome’s historical significance while securing its legacy for future moviegoers.