Shock Closure of Iconic Westwood Village and Bruin Theaters – End of an Era!

Two historic Westwood movie theaters, the Regency Village Theatre and the Bruin, are expected to shut their doors later this week.

“The final operating day for the Bruin & Village Theaters under Regency’s management is scheduled for Thursday, July 25,” says Lyndon Golin, President of Regency Theatres, in a Sunday email confirmation.

Regency Theatres has been managing these two establishments for the past 14 years, but their lease agreements for these properties are set to expire later this month, as Golin further noted.

The Village Theatre, a cherished landmark, is likely to undergo only a temporary closure, thanks to efforts by director Jason Reitman and others to preserve the historic 170-foot white Spanish Revival-Art Deco “wedding cake” tower, a fixture for Westside movie lovers since 1931. In late February, the group announced the successful acquisition of the theater but did not share any specifics regarding renovation plans or a potential grand reopening date.

The future of the Bruin, which first opened its doors in 1937, is still uncertain since it was not part of the recent acquisition.

“The owners of [Bruin] express their gratitude to the Golin Family and Regency Theaters for a fruitful 14-year partnership,” says a family representative statement. The owners are currently exploring future possibilities for the Bruin.

The two theaters gained widespread recognition for their use as filming locations in Quentin Tarantino’s 1960s-themed “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.”

Originally part of the Fox theater chain, the venue, known as the Fox Westwood Village, was designed by Percy P. Lewis and designated as a historic cultural monument in 1988. In the 1970s, it became part of the Mann Theatres chain.

Upon hearing the news of the theater going on sale last year, Reitman quickly assembled a group of filmmakers to buy the venue before it could be converted into a retail store or any other business that serves the nearby UCLA community.

As per the plans, the Village — boasting a 70mm-capable screen, an upgraded sound system, and a spacious auditorium that can accommodate over 1,300 people — will eventually screen a mix of new releases and repertory programs, according to the new owners.

“Our exciting vision encompasses dining, drinking, movie watching, gallery viewing, and programming of both new and old films. We can’t wait to share this with everyone,” Reitman stated in a February interview with The Times.

Reitman’s group representatives did not provide additional details when asked on Sunday.

The efforts to rescue the Village Theatre on Broxton Avenue were initiated at a time when movie theaters all over Los Angeles and the rest of the country were grappling with the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic-related closures alongside last year’s Hollywood writers and actors’ strikes.

The return of the film pipeline has been sluggish, hindering the revival prospects for many movie theater operators.

Some, such as the ArcLight Cinemas chain with its six Los Angeles locations and the Landmark Theatres’ location at the Westside Pavilion, could not weather the pandemic storm.

However, the success of recent Hollywood blockbusters, such as this weekend’s “Twisters” from Universal Pictures, which garnered over $80 million in domestic ticket sales in its debut, and Disney/Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” which has raked in an estimated $1.4 billion in worldwide sales since its June opening, have ignited hopes of a recovery.

There are others who are investing in the indie movie scene. Netflix bought the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood four years ago; filmmaker Tarantino acquired the historic Vista Theater in Los Feliz in 2021; and Sony Pictures Entertainment took over the Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain, including its downtown L.A. location last month.

Reitman’s group is a diverse mix of Oscar-winning filmmakers and other talent, including Christopher Nolan, J.J. Abrams, Guillermo del Toro, Christopher McQuarrie, Judd Apatow, Damien Chazelle, Steven Spielberg, Chris Columbus, Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Hannah Fidell, Alejandro González Iñárritu, James Gunn, and Rian Johnson. Other announced members of the ownership group include Gil Kenan, Karyn Kusama, Justin Lin, Phil Lord, David Lowery, Chris Miller, Todd Phillips, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Jay Roach, Seth Rogen, Emma Seligman, Emma Thomas, Denis Villeneuve, Lulu Wang, and Chloé Zhao.

According to Regency’s website, “Twisters” is currently playing at the Bruin, while “Fly Me to the Moon” is screening at the Village through Thursday. Regency Theatres operates 20 locations, mainly in Southern California.

This story is still developing.

Josh Rottenberg, staff writer, contributed to this report.