PHOENIX — Soon enough movie fans will have at least three more places in the Valley to buy some popcorn, soda, and catch a flick on the big screen.
Two movie theater chains are set to make their debut in the Phoenix market, while another is being rebranded. Here is what we know.
Landmark Theatres
California-based Landmark Theatres is set to open in the fall at the Scottsdale Quarter in the building that formerly housed IPIC Theatre (IPIC closed in January 2020). Landmark will have eight auditoriums and showcase traditional, independent, foreign, and 3-D movies, according to its website. It will be the company's first theater in Arizona.
Touchstar Cinemas
Touchstar Cinemas, a small Orlando, Florida-based movie theater chain, is also opening in Scottsdale at the Sonora Village shopping center, near Loop 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard. It will take over the building that used to house Studio Movie Grill (SMG closed that location during the pandemic). An opening date has not been announced, but the theater is said to be "opening soon," according to its website.
Majestic Theaters
All three Alamo Drafthouse-branded movie theaters in Chandler, Gilbert, and Tempe will soon become Majestic Theaters after the Texas-based theater chain and the local franchise owners reached a settlement and agreed to part ways. Representatives from Majestic said the brand transition should happen sometime in September, however, for now, all three theaters are open under the Alamo branding. Aside from the name change, staff, management, and the experience are said to remain the same. Alamo said it hoped to return to the market one day.
Are more Harkins Theatres locations in the works?
While delayed due to the pandemic, Harkins Theatres said it still plans to open a movie theater in Laveen, though the timeline is unclear. Harkins announced its plans to open a 12-screen movie theater at Laveen Village, near 59th Avenue and Baseline Road, in early 2019, but that project has been indefinitely delayed.
In July, Harkins confirmed that it would close its North Valley 16 movie theater in north Phoenix, near 32nd Street and Bell Road, by the end of the year, while also teasing plans that it would open a new theater nearby. Specific details on that new theater have not yet been released.
