Cinerama Dome Is Just the Start: LA Is Living a Movie Palace Renaissance

Ben Steinberg, a CSUN film student, has seen his seven years of activism finally pay off. The Save Your Cinema account on social media has encouraged Los Angeles cinema enthusiasts to support independent theaters and join the effort to reopen the Cinerama Dome, which has been closed since the Arclight Cinemas went bankrupt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Steinberg is now the special events and marketing director at the Bruin Theatre in Westwood, preparing it for reopening in 2028.

The Bruin Theatre, operated by Regency Theatres from 2010-2024, has been refurbished with new 35/70mm projectors and other updates. Toronto-based theater owner Rui Pereira purchased the lease and is working with Steinberg to bring the theater back to life. Open houses and press screenings are planned for October, with the possibility of wider openings soon. The Bruin Theatre may also host film premieres, similar to its past collaboration with the Westwood Village Theatre.

This trend of bringing historic cinemas back to life is part of a citywide revival of Los Angeles' movie palaces, occurring independently of each other. The industry has experienced a box office resurgence in 2026, particularly for traditional film formats, which has drawn a new generation of moviegoers to historic theaters. Chris Forman, CEO of Decurion Corp. and owner of the Cinerama Dome, is planning to relaunch the theater with Alamo Drafthouse's help, updating its audio/visual systems and auditoriums to fit the dine-in theater model.