39 Regal Theaters Were Supposed to Close February 15: Here’s Why Most Are Still Open

Tom Brueggemann and Brian Welk
·3-min read

Today, Regal — the nation’s second-largest theater chain — began to reject leases across the country as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. However, earmarked theaters like Manhattan’s Union Square and the Sherman Oaks Galleria are still open. They’re even selling advance tickets for “Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania” and for “Creed III.”

Several distributors told IndieWire that the 15th was never a drop-dead date; it was a maneuver in response to Judge Marvin Isgur’s insistence that Cineworld act quickly in its bankruptcy proceedings.

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Cineworld may be in dire financial straits, but in one respect it has the upper hand: Most Regal sites would have a hard time being anything but a movie theater, so you can bet the landlords will want to re-negotiate the lease terms. With most of those 39 locations open for the time being, assume discussions are in play.

That said, IndieWire confirmed that five Regal locations did close this week (the Berkeley, California location has already shuttered).

  • Shadowood 16 (Boca Raton, FL)

  • Round Lake Beach Stadium 18 (Round Lake Beach, IL)

  • Fenway Stadium 13 and RPX (Boston, MA)

  • Brunswick 10 (Brunswick, ME)

  • Montrose Movies Stadium 12 (Akron, OH)

The UK-based Cineworld, which owns Regal stateside, hopes by closing 39 of its approximately 500 U.S. cinema locations will save $22 million in costs. A dozen Regal theaters also closed last fall.  Of the 39 theaters identified to be closed, only Union Square is among Regal’s top 40 locations.

Cineworld has indicated that it remains in talks with debtors on reorganizing debt as well as with potential buyers. Cineworld stock surged nearly 20 percent earlier this week upon a report that Vue International, Europe’s largest privately owned cinema operator, might be exploring an acquisition.

Here are the previously announced 39 theaters that are all rejecting leases and could still be primed to close at a later date:

  • Tikahtnu Stadium 16 Imax and RPX (Anchorage, AK)

  • Metro Point (Costa Mesa, CA)

  • Berkeley 7 (Berkeley, CA)

  • Parkway Plaza Stadium 18 and Imax (El Cajon, CA)

  • Escondido Stadium 16 and Imax (Escondido, CA)

  • Hemet Cinema 12 (Hemet, CA)

  • Sherman Oaks Galleria 16 (Los Angeles, CA)

  • Yorba Linda and Imax (Yorba Linda, CA)

  • Meadows Stadium 12 (Littleton, CO)

  • SouthGlenn Stadium 14 (Centennial, CO)

  • Shadowood 16 (Boca Raton, FL)

  • South Beach Stadium 18 and Imax (Miami, FL)

  • Keauhou Stadium 7 (Kailua-Kona, HI)

  • Bolingbrook Stadium 12 (Bolingbrook, IL)

  • Round Lake Beach Stadium 18 (Round Lake Beach, IL)

  • Fenway Stadium 13 and RPX (Boston, MA)

  • Bowie Stadium 14 (Bowie, MD)

  • Rockville Center Stadium 13 (Rockville, MD)

  • Brunswick 10 (Brunswick, ME)

  • Beaver Creek Stadium 12 (Apex, NC)

  • Omaha Stadium 16 (Omaha, NE)

  • Concord 10 (Concord, NH)

  • Hamilton Commons Stadium 14 (Landing, NJ)

  • Pohatcong Stadium 12 (Phillipsburg, NJ)

  • Santa Fe Stadium 14 (Santa Fe, NM)

  • Village Square Stadium 18 (Las Vegas, NV)

  • Elmwood Center 16 (Buffalo, NY)

  • Ithaca Mall Stadium 14 (Ithaca, NY)

  • Cortlandt Town Center (Mohegan Lake, NY)

  • Union Square Stadium 14 (New York, NY)

  • Greece Ridge Stadium 12 (Rochester, NY)

  • Transit Center Stadium 18 and Imax (Williamsville, NY)

  • Montrose Movies Stadium 12 (Akron, OH)

  • Barn Plaza Stadium 14 (Doylestown, PA)

  • Oaks Stadium 24 (Oaks, PA)

  • Greenbrier Stadium 13 (Chesapeake, VA)

  • Stonefield Stadium 14 and Imax (Charlottesville, VA)

  • Meridian 16 (Seattle, WA)

  • Gallery Place Stadium 14 (Washington, DC)

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