Regency’s iconic Westwood Village and Bruin theaters are set to close this week as their leases are expiring. The Westwood Fox Village, with its distinctive 170-foot Spanish Revival Art Deco tower, is slated for a renovation following a successful filmmaker initiative spearheaded by Jason Reitman earlier this year. However, details about the renovation timeline and process remain vague. On the other hand, the future of the Bruin theater hangs in uncertainty, as no savior has emerged for the 1937 cinema with its 670 seats, significantly fewer than the Fox Village’s 1,400 seats.
Both the Fox Village and the Bruin theaters have been longstanding fixtures in Hollywood, often chosen by major studios for hosting premieres of blockbuster films such as “Challengers,” “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” and “It: Chapter Two.” The Fox Village’s possession of a 70MM projector made it a preferred venue for films like Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza,” which proved to be a box office success in 2021 post-Covid. As the theaters prepare to close their doors, the Fox Village is wrapping up screenings of Apple’s “Fly Me to the Moon,” while the Bruin will bid farewell with this weekend’s hit film “Twisters,” which grossed an impressive $81.2 million nationwide. Regency has overseen the operation of these venues for the past 14 years.
The closure of Regency’s Westwood Village and Bruin theaters marks the end of an era for these historic cinemas that have contributed significantly to the cultural and cinematic landscape of Hollywood. While the Fox Village is set for a transformation, it remains to be seen what lies ahead for the Bruin theater. The potential loss of these iconic theaters serves as a reminder of the evolving nature of the entertainment industry and the challenges faced by traditional cinema venues in the digital age. As fans and industry insiders mourn the closure of these beloved theaters, they are left to wonder what new chapter will unfold in the ever-changing world of cinema.