Regency Buena Park Downtown 18 & REX
8290 La Palma Avenue,
Buena Park,
CA
90620
8290 La Palma Avenue,
Buena Park,
CA
90620
2 people
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Seating: Aud 2-5 & 14-17: 67 recliner seating Aud 6 & 13: 65 recliner seating Aud 7, 8, 11 & 12: 127 recliner seats Aud 9, 10, & 18: 218 recliner seating Aud 1: 463 original rocker seating configuration Total seating: 2291 Aud 6: LED screen Aud 8: REX (Laser projection, Dolby Atmos, Christie Vive speakers)
11/6/26 will be a soft opening. Auditoriums 10-18, & 8 (REX laser projector & Dolby Atmos) will be open, remaining auditoriums pending grand reopening (date TBA). All recliner seating has been reupholstered, interior/exterior repainted, exterior signage updated/rebranded, new carpeting, concession stand updated, fixtures replaced/repaired, and deep cleaning of entire facility. Bar and expanded kitchen offerings pending.
Will be opening Friday 11/6/26 . Offering free, small popcorn for the grand opening. $14.50 adult price (+ $1 online).
Mikeoaklandpark: It hasn’t reopened yet. Regency’s operation of the theatre is still pending, as there are a multitude of repairs and various prep work needed before the site is ready to reopen.
Why did Regency close this after only a month of operation?
this theater should be listed closed. it not on Regency Theatres website
Regency was the best option for the theatre, as they have a well established history of getting the most out of challenging locations. Companies like AMC, Regal, and Cinemark are too formulastic and bottom line driven to take on a project like this; the venue’s lackluster history, repair/remodel expense, and the property’s ongoing redevelopment simply didn’t fit within their risk-return models (i.e. their idea of a site’s potential is far more black & white than Regency’s).
Updated on BigScreen July 15th
theatre will be open as “Regency Buena Park Downtown 18 & REX” - no involment from AMC..
https://www.bigscreen.com/j/Buena-Park-CA-Regency-Buena-Park-Downtown-18–REX-Coming/8409
REX is the naming of the bigscreen enhanced experience at a Regency Theatre.
This theater was never an AMC. Its still closed. In fact it will be reopening sometime in the future under Regency Theaters. They have posters up around the building announcing the reopening soon.
George Krikorian owner of Krikorian Premiere Theatres still owns and operates the 10 screen LexLive.
Buena Park, CA: Krikorian Buena Park Metroplex 18 Closed [Feb 23, 2026]
Looks like you are right. Their website has posted a closure notice: “Krikorian Premiere Theatres Buena Park Metroplex 18 is Now Closed. We would like to sincerely thank our patrons, the community and, most of all, our loyal staff for 22 years of amazing memories amazing popcorn and amazing times at the movies.”
Heard that the mall has evicted Krikorian and will be taking over the theater. Possibly have another operator come in at a future date. No idea on how long this will be closed for.
Perhaps, the temporary closure is due to demolition work on the neighboring Sears property; something like a hazardous waste removal stage in the project (maybe asbestos abatement). I have no idea if that’s the reason, but it seems feasible.
1/24/26: Website says “temporarily closed”. Anyone know why?
Please rename theatre to Krikorian Buena Park Metroplex and the total seats is 2,048, it has recliners.
Seating Capacity:
Theatre 1, 9, 10 and 18 218
Theatre 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16 and 17 67
Theatre 6 and 13 65
Theatre 7, 11 and 12 127
Theatre 8 127 Dolby Atmos
Theatre 9 218
Theatre 10 220
I have been going to this theater since I was a young boy! I LOVE this theater! Yes the mall surrounding it is a failed mall but this theater has charm! Test it go out in the winter stand in the court yard in front of the theater and just enjoy. And then go in and watch a movie! I’m always treated by happy smiling faces of people always willing to have a conversation. Thisbtheater is definitely something special :)
This opened on May 2nd, 2003. Its grand opening ad can be found in the photo section.
They have started work on the site and their first stage (I’m not sure what stage the theatre is tied in to) is slated for an early 2015 opening.
Hasn’t that project been in the works now for like 6 years? Will it finally get off the ground?
Buena Park is now developing another “revitalization” project, which includes a movie theatre, about two miles from this center. Located on a twelve acre property, at the corner of Orangethorpe and Beach, the 450,000+ square foot retail and entertainment complex, branded “The Source”, is slated to have a 1,200 seat cinema. No operator has been named for the theatre yet and the seating capacity suggests it will be relatively small (perhaps a luxury concept or dine-in?), but, considering the lackluster shopping complex Krikorian has to work with, any direct competition will likely be bad news for the Metroplex 18.
This multiplex was designed by the architectural firm of Perkowitz+Ruth, and pictures of it can be seen at their web site (click on their “entertainment” link.)
This theatre recently (Fall 07') converted to digital, making it the second all digital venue in Orange County (“Cinema City”, formerly Sanborn/SoCal “Cinemapolis”, in Anaheim Hills, being the county’s first).
On the contrary, the BP mall was a popular mall in the 80s after it was enclosed. It started going downhill in the early 90s after the May Co store moved out.
I think the pictures on the outside of the theater are hideous. Paintings of classic movie stars or of today’s stars would look so much better, instead of random paintings of a movie theater AUDIENCE dressed up. Just doesn’t make sense.
This is a very nice theatre, considering that UA had let the 8-plex nearby run down.
Krikorian has managed to keep the 18-plex up. I like that most of the auditoriums are fairly good sized—I never feel confined, even in the smallest ones. The sound and the presentations have been good.
The staff is friendly, though I have to say that the snack bar service is almost always sloooooow, even when there’s extra staff. It always seems like the staff could pick up the pace, especially when it costs a lot for a movie and popcorn. Other than that, nice theatre.
I agree with Jeff’s views on the mall. I grew up around Buena Park in the 1970s and can remember it wasn’t all that great back then. Sometime in the 1980s, I recall that’s when the mall added a roof. The interior became very dark and unpleasent to walk around in. Then the recent overhaul hasn’t seemed to do much good. The downstairs is still dark, and the shop selection upstairs isn’t all that great. I think if it weren’t for Wal-Mart, the mall would be history.