Sony and Alamo Drafthouse Plan 2028 Reopening of Historic Cinerama Dome
Sony Pictures Entertainment and Alamo Drafthouse have signed a long-term lease to restore and reopen the Cinerama Dome in Culver City by early 2028, while also reviving the former Hollywood Arclight as an Alamo Drafthouse venue.
Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that its subsidiary Alamo Drafthouse will partner with Robertson Properties Group to restore the historic Cinerama Dome in Culver City and reopen the former Hollywood Arclight theater under the Alamo Drafthouse brand. Renovations of the single-screen Dome, which has been closed for six years, are set to begin next month with a target reopening in early 2028.
The Dome will retain its original Cinerama name and large-format curved screen, preserving its 86-foot wide presentation and traditional concession service. The venue will also feature 35 mm capabilities, premium-format screens with immersive audio, 4K laser projection and 70 mm film support, complementing Alamo Drafthouse’s repertory and special-event programming.
"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," said Ravi Ahuja, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
"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.
"The Cinerama Dome has been a treasured and important landmark for movie fans and the entire film community for over six decades," said Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of Cinema United.
The agreement follows Alamo Drafthouse’s previous restoration of San Francisco’s New Mission Theater, now the Christopher Nolan Cinema, and aims to make the Dome a West Coast flagship for curated cinephile programming.