Regency’s historic Westwood Village and Bruin theaters are set to close this week as their leases come to an end. This marks the end of an era for these iconic theaters, which have been cherished by the Hollywood community and patrons alike. Regency Theatres President Lyndon Golin expressed gratitude for the opportunity to steward these buildings for the past 14 years and is looking forward to seeing what the future holds for these beloved Los Angeles landmarks.
The Westwood Fox Village, known for its 170-foot Spanish Revival Art Deco tower, is expected to undergo a renovation after a filmmaker initiative led by Jason Reitman earlier this year saved the 1931 cinema. However, there is no word on when or how the construction is scheduled to take place. On the other hand, the fate of the Bruin theater remains uncertain as no one has stepped forward to save the cinema, which first opened its doors in 1937 and boasts 670 seats compared to the Fox Village’s 1,400 seats.
Both the Fox Village and the Bruin theaters are expected to close their doors on Thursday, marking the end of an era for these iconic venues. Over the years, these theaters have remained destinations for major Hollywood premieres, hosting screenings for blockbuster films such as Challengers, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and It: Chapter Two. The Fox Village, in particular, boasts a 70MM projector and was a top-grossing venue for Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza in 2021, following the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the curtains close on these historic theaters, the Fox Village will wrap up screenings of Apple’s Fly Me to the Moon, while the Bruin will conclude with this weekend’s big blockbuster Twisters, which exceeded expectations with a national box office gross of $81.2 million. Regency Theatres has operated these venues for the past 14 years, and while their era may be coming to an end, the impact they have had on the Hollywood community will be remembered for years to come.