Hollywood’s most iconic moviegoing landmark is finally on track for a long-awaited revival. Sony Pictures Entertainment announced on Wednesday that it’ll reopen the iconic Cinerama Dome and operate the recognizable auditorium as well as the adjacent former ArcLight Hollywood multiplex as an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.
Deadline first reported the news yesterday that Sony was in talks with Robertson Property Group to secure a lease on the property. By Tuesday night, the Dome was once again illuminated and was sporting a poster for Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the first Columbia Pictures premiere held at the venue. On Wednesday morning, Sony made the news official: It’ll begin restoration work in August that’s due to wrap up in early 2028; the “Cinerama” name will remain, as will the large-format curved screen.
“Hot damn! We’re bringing the Dome back, baby,” said Tom Rothman, chairman and CEO of SPE Motion Picture Group, in a statement. “We believe in moviegoing down to our soul, and no venue on earth stands more for that than the one-of-a-kind Dome. I am deeply proud that Sony is investing in Hollywood, literally. The Dome has hosted generations of unforgettable movie moments. Our goal is to preserve its legendary history while ensuring it remains vibrant now and far into the future.”
Located at 6360 Sunset Boulevard, the historic movie complex has remained dark since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. The venue’s former operator filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in 2021 following severe financial distress. While rival movie chains like AMC, Regal and Amazon acquired various former ArcLight branches across the country, the flagship Sunset Boulevard site has remained vacant, despite meetings with potential buyers like AMC and Amazon who expressed interest but ultimately passed. Due to bankruptcy proceedings, any new operation cannot use the ArcLight brand name, but Deadline reports that the site’s long-standing owners, the Forman family, intend to retain underlying ownership of the prized property.
Sony will tap its dine-in theater subsidiary, Alamo Drafthouse, to oversee operations. Sony acquired the Austin-based chain in summer 2024, bringing the fan-favorite theater chain—renowned for its curated cinephile programming, deluxe food, signature beverages and annual Fantastic Fest genre film festival—under its studio umbrella. The 14-screen complex next to the dome will show both new releases and repertory screenings on a variety of formats, including 35mm and 70mm, with several premium-format screens capable of 4K laser projection. And it’ll, of course, feature the Drafthouse’s typical dine-in service (though the Dome will stick to traditional concessions), plus karaoke rooms and spaces for fan celebrations.
“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,” said Michael Kustermann, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse and head of Sony Pictures Experiences, in a statement. “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.”
Prior to shutting down, the complex consistently ranked among the nation’s top 10 highest-grossing multiplexes on any given weekend. It served as a critical launching pad for independent, foreign and awards-season prestige films, and its historic mystique was undeniable for both cinema fanatics and average moviegoers.
Beyond its cultural status, the site remains an architectural marvel. Opened in 1963, the Cinerama Dome stands as the world’s only concrete geodesic dome theater. Meanwhile, the adjoining multiplex, added in 2002, introduced sightline innovations with stadium seating placed at eye level.
While an exact reopening date in 2028 has yet to be announced, the promised return of Hollywood’s crowning cinema sanctuary gives local movie lovers and industry insiders a reason to celebrate today.
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