HOLLYWOOD — Sony Pictures Entertainment announced plans to restore the Cinerama Dome and reopen it in early 2028. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema will operate the Cinerama Dome as part of the restoration effort.

Sony Pictures Entertainment will reopen the adjacent 14-screen theater complex, formerly ArcLight Cinemas, as an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Restorative renovations for the Cinerama Dome are scheduled to begin in August 2026 and continue through 2028.

The 14-screen Alamo Drafthouse complex will offer dine-in services. The Cinerama Dome will not offer in-theater dining services.

The 14-screen Alamo Drafthouse complex will retain 35mm capabilities and include 70mm auditoriums. Programming for the Cinerama Dome will include repertory screenings, filmmaker series, premieres, and special events.

Sony Pictures Entertainment will operate the theaters under a lease agreement. Decurion Corporation’s Robertson Property Group owns the real estate of the Cinerama Dome.

The Cinerama Dome has been closed since 2020. Pacific Theatres filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2021.

The Cinerama Dome opened in 1963. The Cinerama Dome features an 86-foot-wide panoramic screen.

The Cinerama Dome is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. The Cinerama Dome is located on Sunset Boulevard near Vine.

The Cinerama Dome was the world's first all-concrete geodesic dome. Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas in 2024.

Alamo Drafthouse was founded in 1997. Alamo Drafthouse currently operates a 10-screen cinema in downtown Los Angeles.

Alamo Drafthouse operates 39 other locations across the United States. Alamo Drafthouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021.

Tom Rothman is the chairman and CEO of Sony’s motion picture group. Ravi Ahuja is the Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Michael Kustermann is the CEO of Alamo Drafthouse and Head of Sony Pictures Experiences. Michael O’Leary is the president and CEO of the movie theater trade group Cinema United.

"Hot damn! We’re bringing the Dome back, baby. 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," Rothman said in a statement that included an expletive.

"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," Rothman said.

"There is no moviegoing destination anywhere in the world that commands the affection, history, and cultural significance of the Cinerama Dome. It represents the kind of singular experience we value and champion," Ahuja said.

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

"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," Kustermann said.

The Cinerama Dome has been a fixture of Hollywood cinema since 1963, serving as the world's first all-concrete geodesic dome. Its closure in 2020 followed the bankruptcy of Pacific Theatres in 2021, which left the historic venue idle for several years.

Sony Pictures Entertainment's acquisition of Alamo Drafthouse in 2024 positioned the studio to revive the location under a lease agreement with the property owner. The restoration plan aims to return a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument to active use while expanding Alamo Drafthouse's presence in the region beyond its existing downtown Los Angeles cinema.