This week’s announcement that ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres will not reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic sent local moviegoers and filmmakers into mourning, especially those who considered the historic Cinerama Dome their second Hollywood home. Luminaries like Rian Johnson, Edgar Wright and Aubrey Plaza joined the outpouring.
While most industry insiders expect prime locations such as the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Boulevard to eventually return under new operators, it was a stunning end for a chain that seemed to do everything right, from its craft cocktail bars to its comfortable seats and online reservations system.
Beyond the high-end ArcLight theaters, the Pacific locations at the Grove and the Americana at Brand were also highly trafficked destinations with loyal followings.
Still, the problems that likely led to ArcLight’s closure are not unique to the chain, and it may not be the last to fall to the effects of the public health crisis.
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