The Cinerama Dome, a midcentury Hollywood landmark, is set to be restored and reopened after more than six years closed, driven by public pressure and a new partnership between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Alamo Drafthouse. Community activism led by Benjamin Steinberg helped refocus attention on the site, while plans call for careful preservation of the Dome’s distinctive curved-screen format and historic branding. Renovations are scheduled to begin soon and continue through early 2028, with the Dome returning as part of a multipurpose theater complex carrying 70mm capability and curated programming. The revival is being positioned as a chance to reconnect audiences with large-format cinematic experiences that streaming and pandemic-era shifts have largely sidelined.
The Dome’s revival feels like a rare win for preservation in a state where bureaucracy and neglect often triumph over history. Local advocates had argued the theater was abandoned and deteriorating, and their campaigning helped make the issue impossible to ignore. That pressure created a pathway for Sony and Alamo Drafthouse to step in and commit resources to a true restoration. The aim is to retain the Dome’s look and feel while updating systems and programming for contemporary audiences.
Most every memorable movie boasts a thrilling plot twist or an outsized occurrence that prompts an audible ripple of gasps from audience members.
https://x.com/SonyPictures/status/2079959687278342586
Such a made-for-the-movies moment arrived for the Cinerama Dome, that unmistakable, much-obsessed-over, long-shuttered Hollywood cinema, on July 22.
Prompting the excited ripple among fans of the truly domed theater, which shuttered in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, followed by a formal announcement of closure in the spring of 2021?
Sony Pictures Entertainment and Alamo Drafthouse are set to “restore and reopen” the landmark, a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument located on Sunset Boulevard near Vine. The Cinerama Dome isn’t just a local treasure: It was “the world’s first all-concrete geodesic dome,” a true architectural wonder with midcentury flair to spare.
Benjamin Steinberg’s Save Your Cinema campaign became a focal point of the effort, collecting thousands of signatures and maintaining public attention. Steinberg documented protests, filed public-record updates, and engaged filmmakers and the media to amplify the cause. His activism included projecting images onto the Dome to spotlight ownership issues, a risky tactic that nonetheless generated international attention and reopened dialogue. That movement helped create the momentum Sony and Alamo needed to formalize restoration plans.
Getting it to reopen has been a six year odyssey for me. I’ve made many new friends along the way and I am grateful for many people supporting me. I started the petition to save the Cinerama Dome within minutes of finding out it was shutting down and it received over 30 thousand signatures. I was able to reveal the 2023 reopening plans and then break the sad news about it being officially cancelled. Many people told me to give up. Industry figures that I deeply admire told me it would be impossible to convince the family ownership to reoepen it or have it leased to another exhibitor considering their other abandoned cinemas and lack of communication to me. I was called delusional. People made fun of me. Instead, I held protests, spoke with city leaders, provided updates from public records, updated the media, continuously pressed the owners. I had conversations with filmmakers ranging from Wes Anderson to Quentin Tarantino about it. A few months ago I projected the images of the owners faces onto the Dome asking them to reopen and they called the police on me. That was actually a miracle in disguise. I received attention from all around the world and the Cinerama Dome became a topic of conversation again.
Sony and Alamo Drafthouse say the restoration will preserve the Dome’s iconic “Cinerama” branding and immersive curved-screen presentation. The companies plan programming that honors repertory screenings, premieres, filmmaker series, and special events rather than converting the space into a dine-in venue. Alamo will operate the Dome and complement its traditional concessions with signature programming designed to attract cinephiles and mainstream audiences alike. The stated goal is to protect the landmark while making it a vibrant, living venue.
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and wholly-owned subsidiary Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, today announced plans to reopen and restore the iconic Cinerama Dome, a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument located in the heart of Hollywood, following a 6-year shutdown that began during the COVID pandemic. The deal reinforces SPE’s long-held commitment to theatrical exhibition and expands its investment in distinctive entertainment experiences.
The Dome’s technical legacy is a key part of the pitch: since 1963 it has been celebrated for 70mm exhibitions and a roughly 86-foot-wide curved screen engineered for panoramic immersion. Preserving those capabilities means the theater can host archival prints and large-format presentations that are increasingly rare. Renovations will include upgrades to projection and audio systems while keeping 35mm and 70mm options intact for archival work and special events. Those choices underscore a broader effort to revive the culture of seeing films as communal, cinematic events.
The Dome will undergo restorative renovations starting next month through early 2028 and be operated by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Its historic legacy and singular moviegoing experience will be honored and carefully preserved, with the iconic “Cinerama” name and exterior branding left intact. The restoration will honor the landmark’s distinctive aesthetic character, immersive large-format curved-screen presentation, and traditional concession experience that have made it a beloved destination for generations. While the Dome will not operate as a dine-in theater, its traditional programming will be complemented by Alamo Drafthouse’s signature programming including repertory screenings, filmmaker series, premieres, and special events.
The Dome used to be part of a larger complex operated by ArcLight, which attempted curated programming but ultimately could not survive the industry shifts. That past failure serves as a cautionary tale for the new operators, who face market headwinds ranging from changing audience habits to corporate and regulatory pressures. If the Dome succeeds, it will be because it blends careful preservation with smart programming and sound management. If it fails, it will be another reminder that landmarks need more than nostalgia to thrive.
For filmmakers and dedicated moviegoers, the plan is cause for cautious optimism: the 2028 timeline gives the restoration time to be thoughtful and thorough. Restoring the Dome is also a statement about the value of place in a world where so much of entertainment is now solitary and streamed. The big-screen experience the Dome provided remains rare and, if preserved well, could help remind audiences why communal moviegoing matters.
Below is Benjamin Steinberg’s full X story on the journey to see the Cinerama Dome revitalized.
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