Godzilla vs. Kong’s rousingly positive box office numbers over the past couple of weeks has incited some optimism for movie fans who love going to theaters. Even so, last year was incredibly rough for exhibitors. It was announced Monday that ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres would not open their doors back up following a year of closures and movie ticket losses. The Hollywood ArcLight is an iconic theater to the industry, and many celebrities, including Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn and Mindy Kaling, have spoken out about the closure.
News recently broke that ArcLight theaters would not see a comeback this summer, even as we await blockbusters like Black Widow and Spiral: From the Book of Saw to get us to go out to the movie theaters again. The chain is owned by Decurion, and its most famous establishment, the Cinerama Dome, was one of the highest-grossing movie theaters in the nation and the only concrete geodesic dome on Earth. James Gunn took to Twitter to say this:
The writer/director who is getting ready to release The Suicide Squad this summer, alongside a day-and-date HBO Max release, recalled the personable experiences he had at the ArcLight following the sad news. His fellow DC director David Ayer shared his thoughts as well:
The iconic property has sat on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood for the past 58 years. The Hollywood ArcLight is a 15-screen theater that features the unique 7,500 pound dome. The Cinerama Dome has clearly been a hub for filmmakers and other creatives who work in Hollywood. Star Wars and Knives Out writer/director Rian Johnson said this:
In the statement from Decurion regarding the ArcLight and Pacific Theaters, it was noted that the decision was made due to the company not finding a “viable way forward” after a year of ebing closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu also brought up his own memories with the famed theater:
Baby Driver and Shaun of the Dead filmmaker Edgar Wright also joined in on the somber conversation, but he's hoping there's a way to save the beloved theaters announced to be closed:
To round out the reactions regarding the closure of these theaters, The Office actress and writer Mindy Kaling used her comedic chops to bring a bit of levity to the sad situation. In her words:
The Cinerama Dome recently made an appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and is well known as a favorite spot for the Pulp Fiction filmmaker. Perhaps Hollywood will rally together and save these theaters, or at least the Sunset Boulevard location. Until we hear more, our hearts go out to the employees and moviegoers who called the ArcLight and Pacific Theaters home to them like these creatives shared.
