WESTWOOD — The historic Bruin Theater in Westwood is expected to reopen in mid-October under new management after sitting dark for more than two years, according to a report published Wednesday.
Toronto-based theater operator Rui Pereira has signed a lease with the Martyn Skouras family, which owns the 1937 theater, and plans to restore movie screenings while preserving the venue’s historic character, according to Deadline.
The Bruin Theater closed in July 2024 when Regency Theatres’ lease expired. Its neighboring Village Theatre also closed at that time.
Deadline said Pereira plans to restore the theater’s 70 mm and 35 mm projectors while upgrading its digital projection system. The theater’s seats and screen remain in good condition, and Pereira said he intends to preserve the building’s original look.
“I want to keep the essence of the theater, I don’t want to erase its history or gloss it over,” Pereira told Deadline.
The report said Pereira hopes to eventually add two small upstairs screening rooms and has already been contacted by movie studios about hosting premieres and special screenings before the planned mid-October reopening.
The expected reopening comes as Westwood’s neighboring Village Theatre also moves toward a revival. A coalition of filmmakers led by director Jason Reitman purchased the landmark theater in 2024 and is overseeing a $25 million restoration.
The Village reopened briefly earlier this year for the Los Angeles premiere of Billie Eilish and James Cameron’s concert film and is expected to undergo renovations before reopening under the American Cinematheque in 2027.
The Bruin’s planned return would add to a broader revival of Los Angeles’ movie houses. Sony Pictures announced earlier this month plans to reopen the Cinerama Dome and ArcLight Hollywood in 2028, bringing back another iconic movie theater that has been closed since 2021.