Refresh for updates…On Monday, a number of prominent Hollywood figures took to social media to mourn the closure of Arclight Cinemas.
“Well this sucks,” tweeted Knives Out and The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson. “Every single person who worked at the Arclight loved movies, and you felt it. Sending love to every usher, manager and projectionist who rocked that blue shirt and made it such a special place.”
Meanwhile, Barry Jenkins—the Oscar winner behind Moonlight, and upcoming Amazon series The Underground Railroad—simply tweeted, “F**K.”
Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Old Guard, Beyond the Lights), too, felt the hurt, tweeting, “This is so painful. The Arclight is my go-to. Clean, great sound, assigned stadium seating, great popcorn, usher movie introductions. A true movie-going experience.”
Roland Emmerich, the writer-director behind films including Midway and Independence Day, thanked ArcLight and Pacific Theatres (which is also closing) for the “many wonderful cinematic experiences” they provided. “Cinephiles will certainly miss the iconic Cinerama Dome, which is such an integral part of the Los Angeles movie culture!” he added.
Actor and comedian Jamie Kennedy processed the news with a reference to his character, Randy, from the Scream franchise. “WOW!!! This is the 1st place I ever saw 2001. The DOME,” he said. “The experience of going to watch a movie there was otherworldly, being in one was absolutely humbling. If Randy lived in the real world I feel he would have managed the joint!”
Deadline first broke the news today that Arclight and Pacific Theatres would not be reopening, after being financially hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. “This was not the outcome anyone wanted,” said theater owner Decurion, “but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward.”
We’ll update this story with further reactions as they come in.
🥺 Well this sucks. Every single person who worked at the Arclight loved movies, and you felt it. Sending love to every usher, manager and projectionist who rocked that blue shirt and made it such a special place.
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) April 13, 2021
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) April 13, 2021
This is so painful. The Arclight is my go-to. Clean, great sound, assigned stadium seating, great popcorn, usher movie introductions. A true movie-going experience. 🤬 https://t.co/EtkfA9sMCx
— Gina Prince-Bythewood (@GPBmadeit) April 13, 2021
Thank you ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres for the many wonderful cinematic experiences. Cinephiles will certainly miss the iconic Cinerama Dome, which is such an integral part of the Los Angeles movie culture! https://t.co/iMSqGj89sI
— Roland Emmerich (@rolandemmerich) April 13, 2021
WOW!!! This is the 1st place I ever saw 2001. The DOME. And the Arclight with the announcements. The experience of going to watch a movie there was otherworldly, being in one was absolutely humbling. If Randy lived in the real world I feel he would have managed the joint! ❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/633oI44N7V
— Jamie Kennedy (@JamieKennedy) April 13, 2021
If the Arclight is really going away, I will be crushed – it is such an integral part of my life in Los Angeles. I have been so, SO looking forward to the day when this is all over and I could go back to @ArcLightCinemas…
— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) April 13, 2021
This is gut-wrenching for the employees and movie-lovers. I will always be grateful #MyBigFatGreekWedding premiered at the ArcLight and played at Pacific Theaters. Thank you. https://t.co/0m0fp963pZ
— Nia Vardalos (@NiaVardalos) April 13, 2021
The Arclight Hollywood was my most favorite theatre in the world to see movies. My home court of cinema in LA. I saw my first movie in LA there when I moved here in 2009 and the last movie before the pandemic there. Truly a bummer. https://t.co/sziPORAGcA
— Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) April 13, 2021
Oh no. ArcLight Hollywood is my favorite place to see movies. https://t.co/krBTcbDNEG
— John August (@johnaugust) April 13, 2021
Pacific and ArcLight theaters will not reopen following the pandemic, company says https://t.co/vTYXgmWjVg
😢💔💔💔😭— Stacey Sher (@StaceySher) April 13, 2021
I always loved that The Arclight’s staff wore their favorite movie on their name tag. Once an employee who helped me was wearing The First Wives Club, a movie that I’m in, and all I thought was, “Really? My favorite movie is Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca.” #justsayin https://t.co/XUrZMKo0nu
— Lea DeLaria (@realleadelaria) April 13, 2021
That’s my Arclight! I loved being able to walk with my son home from the movies talking about the next one he wanted to see https://t.co/4KRWD3evWU
— Funch (@RonFunches) April 13, 2021
I saw a Barbra Streisand do a Q&A after a showing of Yentl at the ArcLight – it was a Tuesday and I bought tickets for it 30 minutes in advance. Like, WHAT?? It was bananas and amazing. Ugh, I can’t go down this road with this place – there are too many great movie memories.
— Eliza Skinner (@elizaskinner) April 13, 2021
Arclight was the theater in Hollywood that confirmed you were right to have moved to L.A. because you were insane about movies. I really hope someone saves the dome (again)!
— Mike McMahan (@MikeMcMahanTM) April 13, 2021
Oh no. Not the Arclight.
Okay super cartoonishly generationally dynastically wealthy.
Put your money where it counts now, cause we can’t lose the Arclight. https://t.co/42ZtydYho2
— steven pasquale (@StevePasquale) April 13, 2021
Me and @IoneSkye1 had our first kiss outside the Arclight https://t.co/32nkvDQllZ
— Ben Lee (@benleemusic) April 13, 2021
If you gotta close one structure that looks like a giant golf ball, close Epcot.
— David Iserson (@davidiserson) April 13, 2021
I love the Arclight. Hollywood, Valley. They were great.
One of the biggest thrills of my life was seeing my tiny 16 mm movie shown in the Cinerama Dome.
I’ve seen so many of my favorite movies there. So many wonderful after-movie Q and As.
This is a real blow.
— Brian Lynch (@BrianLynch) April 13, 2021
California’s ArcLight and Pacific Theaters are closing for good😔https://t.co/zoQFDwtUPi pic.twitter.com/xXQnnCwSli
— KROQ (@kroq) April 13, 2021