Bruin Theatre’s Future Uncertain as Regency’s Lease of Two Historic Westwood Movie Palaces Ends This Week

UPDATED: Westwood Village’s Bruin Theatre and Fox Village Theatre will screen their last films — for now — on Thursday as Regency Theatres’ lease comes to an end at the two historic Los Angeles venues.

Jason Reitman Acquires Fox Village Westwood Theater With Filmmakers Including Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, JJ Abrams, Chloé Zhao

Opened in 1937, the streamline-moderne style Bruin is being represented by commercial real estate firm Newmark, which repped the sale of the Fox Village. Steven Salas, managing director of Newmark, said the property is not formally on the market yet, so it hasn’t been decided whether it would be for lease or for sale. Several parties have expressed interest in the theater for “multiple uses,” Salas said, including Jason Reitman’s consortium.

With 670 seats, the Bruin smaller than the Fox Village Theatre across the street, which currently has about 1400 seats. Both venues have a long history of hosting movie premieres, while the Bruin also played an important role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

“The owners thank the Golin Family and Regency Theaters for our relationship with them for the last 14 years. The owners are currently evaluating future opportunities for The Bruin,” said Owen Solomon, a representative for the building’s owners.

The 1931 Fox Village is set to reopen at an unspecified date after being acquired in February by director Jason Reitman and a consortium of partners including Christopher Nolan, Rian Johnson, Steven Spielberg, Chloe Zhao, J.J. Abrams and more. The plan is to add a bar and restaurant and make use of the filmmakers’ personal collections of prints and memorabilia.

Regency Theatres president Lyndon Golin said they are “unaware of any specifics of future plans” for the Bruin.

Jason Reitman to Direct Film About First 'Saturday Night Live' Broadcast for Sony

VIP+ Analysis: The Case for Library Titles to Bring Ancillary Revenue to Theaters

Representatives for Reitman did not respond to request for comment on whether he might become involved with the Bruin in addition to the Village.

Once the most popular moviegoing destination on the Westside of Los Angeles, Westwood has lost nearly all of its numerous theaters over the past decades. The Landmark Westwood on Broxton and the iPic on Wilshire are the last remaining venues in Westwood Village. AMC’s nearby Century City 15 is now the most prominent exhibitor in the area.

Now dig into a VIP+ subscriber report …

'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' Sequel Sets December 2023 Release Date