Historic L.A. Cinemas the Bruin and Westwood Village Theater to Close This Week

Historic L.A. Cinemas the Bruin and Westwood Village Theater to Close This Week

As a long-time resident and avid moviegoer of Westwood, I hold a deep affection for the historic Bruin Theater. The news of its imminent closure by Regency Theaters is disheartening and leaves me feeling nostalgic for the memories I’ve made there over the years.


The fate of the historic Bruin movie theater in Los Angeles, operated by Regency Theaters, remains undecided as the company’s lease is set to expire this month.

According to the Los Angeles Times’ report published on Sunday, Regency president Lyndon Golin confirmed that the Bruin & Village Theaters will close permanently on Thursday, July 25.

Regency also operates Westwood’s Village Theater, the historic theater famed for its art deco tower, but that venue was saved back in February when a group of 35 filmmakers led by Jason Reitman clubbed together to rescue the 93-year-old cinema.

A diverse group of renowned filmmakers banded together to protect the Village Theater: J.J. Abrams, Judd Apatow, Damien Chazelle, Chris Columbus, Ryan Coogler, Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Jonathan Dayton, Guillermo del Toro, Valerie Faris, Hannah Fidell, Alejandro González Iñárritu, James Gunn, Sian Heder, Rian Johnson, Gil Kenan, Karyn Kusama, Justin Lin, Phil Lord, David Lowery, Christopher McQuarrie, Chris Miller, Christopher Nolan, Alexander Payne, Todd Phillips, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Reitman, Jay Roach, Seth Rogen, Emma Seligman, Brad Silberling, Steven Spielberg, Emma Thomas, Denis Villeneuve, Lulu Wang and Chloé Zhao.

Despite its historical significance and popularity among locals, the Bruin, an esteemed cinema that debuted in 1937 as the Fox Bruin Theater, did not receive the same level of rescue efforts as other landmarks. Sitting across from the more visually striking Village Theater, this 87-year-old establishment held a dear place in the hearts of many and was recognized as a Los Angeles historic site since 1988. The Bruin also gained renewed attention through its inclusion in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Reitman reps for comment on the closure of the Bruin.

For the past 14 years, Regency has managed both the Bruin and the Village Theater. This business manages around twenty venues, mainly based in Southern California.

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2024-07-22 07:24