Sony Pictures Entertainment made it official Wednesday, confirming plans to restore and reopen the iconic but long-shuttered Cinerama Dome and the adjacent former ArcLight Cinemas theater complex in Hollywood.
“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,” Ravi Ahuja, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, said in a statement Wednesday. “This is a meaningful moment for our company, our industry, and Los Angeles. We look forward to honoring and extending the Dome’s extraordinary legacy.”
The renovation and reopening project will be done in coordination with Sony-owned Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, which will operate the complex.
Renovations are expected to begin next month and continue through early 2028. Sony officials said the “Cinerama” name and iconic exterior sign will remain intact. The project will “honor the landmark’s distinctive aesthetic character, immersive large-format curved-screen presentation, and traditional concession experience that have made it a beloved destination for generations.”
The historic theater complex at 6360 Sunset Blvd. has been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the collapse of Pacific Theatres and ArcLight Cinemas in 2021.
The Cinerama Dome and adjoining ArcLight Hollywood complex were scheduled to reopen in May 2021 for the releases of “A Quiet Place Part II” and “Cruella,” but those plans were abandoned after Pacific Theatres and ArcLight parent company Decurion Corp. entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Since then, several former ArcLight locations have reopened under new operators, including Regal Cinemas, Amazon MGM Studios and AMC Theatres, while the Hollywood complex has remained vacant.
Built in 1963, the Cinerama Dome is one of Hollywood’s best-known movie theaters and is the world’s only concrete geodesic dome. It features an 86-foot-wide curved screen that Sony officials say was “engineered to immerse audiences in an extraordinary panoramic viewing experience.”
Before closing, the adjacent Arclight Hollywood multiplex was among the nation’s highest-grossing theaters and was a frequent venue for premieres, awards-season releases and special screenings.
Sony officials said the renovated ArcLight complex will include dine-in services and will feature “dine-in services, curated programming, repertory screenings, events, designated karaoke rooms, and fan celebrations. The complex will retain 35mm capabilities to showcase archival film prints and house several premium format screens with immersive audio and 4K laser projection, including 70mm capabilities.”
Sony acquired the Alamo Drafthouse cinema chain in 2024 after its unsuccessful bid to purchase Paramount Pictures.
“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,” Michael Kustermann, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse and Head of Sony Pictures Experiences, said. “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.”