Sony and Alamo Drafthouse announce plans to reopen the iconic Cinerama Dome

Hollywood’s storied Cinerama Dome will soon be open for business again.

Following a six-year shutdown prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sony Pictures Entertainment has stepped in to restore and reopen the historic Hollywood landmark. The dome, which will keep its Cinerama name, will be operated by Sony Pictures Entertainment’s theater chain, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the company announced in a statement Wednesday.

“There is no moviegoing destination anywhere in the world that commands the affection, history, and cultural significance of the Cinerama Dome,” Sony Pictures Entertainment Chief Executive Ravi Ahuja said in a statement.

“This is a meaningful moment for our company, our industry, and Los Angeles,” Ahuja added. “We look forward to honoring and extending the Dome’s extraordinary legacy.”

Renovations on the dome will start next month and continue until early 2028. Sony said the renovations will honor “its historic legacy and singular moviegoing experience,” leaving the iconic red and blue exterior lettering intact. The restoration will also preserve its immersive large-format curved-screen presentation.

Sony also has plans to reopen the adjacent 14-screen theater complex that was formerly the ArcLight Cinemas. The theater will offer dine-in services as well as curated programming. The theaters will be equipped to show premium formats such as 35mm, 70mm and 4K laser projection.

Both the dome and the theater complex will feature repertory screenings, filmmaker series, premieres and special events.

Unlike the other Alamo Drafthouse locations, the dome will not operate as a dine-in theater, but will maintain its traditional concession experience. The chain has recently come under fire for switching up the ordering system for its in-seat food service, forcing patrons to pull out their phones during a movie.

The deal comes after Sony Entertainment first purchased the Austin, Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse theater chain in 2024 and recently invested $100 million in the immersive shared reality theater chain Cosm, which has locations in Inglewood, Dallas and Atlanta.

The Cinerama Dome was first opened in 1963. The theater, located on Sunset Boulevard, became known for its 86-foot-wide, curved screen. The pioneering technology allowed audiences to experience a panoramic view of the film. Its presence helped shape a new era of moviegoing formats. The dome has long been owned by the family of William R. Forman, the founder of Pacific Theatres.

Ever since the dome’s closure, L.A.’s film community has been missing an essential gathering space, said Benjamin Steinberg, who leads the Save Your Cinema campaign online. When the theater reopens, he said he plans to visit two to three times weekly.

“It was definitely the capital of like the movie-going experience in L.A.,” Steinberg said. “I can’t wait to go back inside the Cinerama Dome and watch movies.”

The summer box office is experiencing its own revival. Audiences have flocked to theaters to see movies such as “Toy Story 5,” “Backrooms” and “Obsession,” among other films. There has been also been newfound attention on theatrical presentation and film formats, including the highly sought after 70mm showing of Christopher Nolan’s latest epic, “The Odyssey.”

“The Cinerama Dome has been a treasured and important landmark for movie fans and the entire film community for over six decades,” Michael O’Leary, the president of the theater owners’ trade group Cinema United, said in a statement. “The timing could not be better with moviegoers, making clear this year that they love the unique experience of seeing a movie on the big screen.”

Times staff writer Mark Olsen contributed to this report.