Sony Is Bringing the Cinerama Dome Back in 2028 and the Former Hollywood Arclight Will Become an Alamo Drafthouse

After sitting dark since 2020, the legendary Cinerama Dome is officially coming back. Sony Pictures Entertainment has confirmed what had been circulating earlier this week. The iconic Hollywood theater will reopen in early 2028 following a major restoration, while the former Hollywood Arclight complex behind it will return as a brand-new Alamo Drafthouse.

It's the kind of announcement that feels like a win for everyone who loves seeing movies on the big screen. For me, the Cinerama Dome was a destination. I grew up going there to watch movies, and I kept going well into adulthood because the experience was unlike anywhere else.

There was always something special about walking through those doors, grabbing some popcorn, and settling in before the lights went down. It didn't matter if it was a massive blockbuster or a smaller film. Seeing it there made it feel like an event.

When I heard the theater was closing, it honestly felt like Hollywood had lost a piece of itself. That's why it's so awesome to hear there's finally a real chance that audiences could once again experience movies in one of the greatest theaters ever built.

Sony says restoration work begins next month, with the landmark expected to reopen in early 2028. The project is extensive, and that's exactly what a building with this much history deserves.

If you're worried the Dome is about to become a dine-in theater, you can relax. Sony confirmed the Cinerama Dome will remain its own experience, preserving its famous curved 86-foot screen, traditional concessions, distinctive architecture, and the presentation style that made it one of the world's premier destinations for 70MM screenings since opening in 1963.

The neighboring Hollywood Arclight multiplex, however, will take on a new life as an Alamo Drafthouse. Moviegoers can expect the chain's signature dine-in service along with repertory screenings, filmmaker retrospectives, premieres, and special events.

The complex will also retain 35MM projection capabilities for archival film prints while housing premium-format auditoriums featuring immersive audio, 4K laser projection, and 70MM presentation.

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Alamo Drafthouse are entering into a long-term lease with Robertson Properties Group to operate the two venues.

Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Ravi Ahuja shared his excitement about the project, saying: "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. 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."

Sony Motion Picture Group Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman added: "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. 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."

Alamo Drafthouse has already proven it knows how to breathe new life into historic theaters. Back in 2015, the company restored San Francisco's historic New Mission Theater, now known as the Christopher Nolan Cinema.

That project transformed a building that had sat vacant for two decades into one of the city's premier movie destinations while preserving its Art Deco façade and many of its original architectural features.

Michael Kustermann, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse and Head of Sony Pictures Experiences, 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.

“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."

Cinema United president and CEO Michael O'Leary also celebrated the announcement: "The Cinerama Dome has been a treasured and important landmark for movie fans and the entire film community for over six decades.

“On behalf of all of exhibition, we are excited to see that under the leadership of two of exhibition’s strongest champions, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Alamo Drafthouse, this iconic destination will once again be filled with audiences of all ages.

“The timing could not be better with moviegoers making clear this year that they love the unique experience of seeing a movie on the big screen. Congratulations to Sony and Alamo and to the people who love movies."

The Dome's history alone makes this restoration worth celebrating. Pacific Theatres founder William R. Forman announced construction of the theater in July 1963 during a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Spencer Tracy, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Edie Adams, and Dorothy Provine.

Forman promised United Artists the theater would be ready for the November 7, 1963 world premiere of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, directed by Stanley Kramer. Amazingly, construction was completed in just 16 weeks.

The building itself remains one of the most fascinating movie theaters ever constructed. It's the only concrete geodesic dome on Earth, assembled from 316 individual hexagonal and pentagonal concrete panels across 16 different sizes. Each section measures roughly 12 feet across and weighs around 7,500 pounds.

The theater has also become a Hollywood icon in its own right, making a memorable appearance in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino's Oscar-winning love letter to Los Angeles that was distributed by Sony. Its appearance in the film served as another reminder that the Dome isn't simply a place to watch movies. It's part of Hollywood's story.

The Hollywood Arclight deserves plenty of credit as well. When it opened in 2002 with its stadium-seating auditoriums, it helped redefine what audiences expected from a multiplex.

One of its smartest ideas was positioning the front row far enough from the screen that people could actually enjoy the movie comfortably. It sounds simple now, but it changed the premium theater experience in a way many cinemas eventually followed.

The Cinerama Dome is part of Hollywood's identity, and seeing those iconic doors open once again would be something worth celebrating.