Lot Fashion Island
999 Newport Center Drive,
Newport Beach,
CA
92660
999 Newport Center Drive,
Newport Beach,
CA
92660
1 person
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First film I distinctly recall seeing here was “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” in 1991.
It was a nice little theater, one I visited quite often throughout the ‘90s. It was comfortable & intimate & served as a nice compliment to the Big Newport across the street.
Can also remember seeing both Peter Weir’s “Fearless” with Jeff Bridges (left theater emotionally exhausted after that plane-crash finale) & Jim Sheridan’s “In the Name of the Father” with Daniel Day-Lewis here.
The Island 7 Cinemas opened on October 6th, 1989. Grand opening ad posted.
I see Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is at both the Island and Big Newport.
Plenty of rich Del Mar kids go to Cinépolis' $19.50 concept in San Diego. I assume that means the same for Newport.
Of all the Newport theaters, I’ve only been in Big Newport #1, which is great, of course. (Every time I find a chance to see something at the Lido, it’s Scope and I don’t want to watch a cropped image.) Can’t say I’m especially excited to try the Island now that it’s renovated.
Just read the OC Register article RonP provided via link: apparently your $16.50 gets you leather seats, better concession choices and the privilege to drink beer or wine. There’s no in-theater service like with other luxuary concepts. It also states that four of the seven screens are 3D compatible.
Less than 100 seats an auditorium??? AND they’re getting Sherlock Holmes instead of Big Newport? Sheesh!
It is odd that Big Newport won’t have Sherlock Holmes. It could have easily played at both theaters, one screen for the masses @ Big Newport, another couple for the luxury crowd @ the Island. They’re basically two diffent experiences. I can see the need to launch a new theater but as Sherlock is PG-13, how many kids are going to pay $16.50 for a movie? They’re not exactly the demographic for an upscale, pricey environment. Should be interesting.
In recent years, the Island 7 was generally a B-film/move over location, with the occasional indie release. Prior to that, I recall there being some decent bookings,but the Big Newport always took the top releases, due to the larger seating capacity. I don’t recall them ever sharing bookings, but it may have happened with really big movies, from time to time.
I would imagine they will place some special effort in to booking the Island, to help launch the theatre (as they did when it first opened). However, I doubt they will neglect the Big Newport, long term. The Big Newport has more seats in one auditorium than the Island does as a facility. The Island’s higher prices and extras simply can’t replace the Big Newport’s raw capacity and potential for big attendance numbers. They will likely go to double bookings by summer.
This first weekend, Regal is not double-booking any movies at both the Big Newport and the Island. What was the protocol before the remodel?
I ask because, for instance, this means that SHERLOCK HOLMES 2 will not play the Big Newport. This instills in me the fear that more big event films might not get booked in the main BN auditorium.
After the remodel, seating is now 670 total.
Flix70,,,,,,NOT ME.
Looks like 7 screens still. Fandango now has all the films listed for opening day: Sherlock Holmes( on three screens), Young Adult, My Week with Marilyn, Breaking Dawn and Tower Heist. Would anyone really spend $16.50 for Breaking Dawn and Tower Heist?
Still just 7 screens?
Fandango is listing ticket prices at $16.50, $14.50 for matinees, plus a $1.25 convenience fee if you reserve/purchase online. Prices are comparable to the VIP Lounge at Regency’s San Juan Capistrano theater. So far, Sherlock Holmes is only film listed for opening day.
Reopens December 16th!
I would have to agree with Scott. Between the project taking almost a year and the number of adjoining units they’ve closed for the expansion (i.e. all of the former second floor foodcourt), I’m thinking they are basically building a new theatre on the site.
Really — unless the majority of the theatre is incorporated into the new theatre, I would be hard pressed to say THIS theatre was going to reopen. I can’t imagine that they could modernize the existing theatres with stadium seating but hey, who knows.
If the existing theatre space is entirely gutted, I put my vote in now to create an entirely separate listing when the new one opens.
Today, 1/12/11, was the last day of operations before the year long remodel/expansion begins. There were no advertisements for the remodel in place, nor did management have any idea as to who the operator would be for the “new” theatre (they appeared very downbeat when asked). I basically walked away suspecting it wouldn’t be Edwards/REG.
Thanks guys for the stories and Great pictures.
Opened October 6, 1989.
Will close for “major redevelopment” January 12, 2011.
Will reopen by the 2011 holiday season.
Any chance of someone getting any photos, inside and out, before the theater changes?
Photos and grand-opening newspaper ads can be found here.
I wondered the same thing when I came across the news item; the article clearly indicates that the theater is owned by the real estate company that owns Fashion Island and that it is the real estate company, not Regal, that is undertaking the renovations. That would appear to indicate that Regal currently leases the theater and that perhaps another operator will take over when the theater reopens. There were a couple of other reports of this renovation in some other Orange County online publications, and none of them mention Regal, but all of them mention that the renovated theater will be an upscale, premium experience. That suggests to me that perhaps an operator such as Gold Class or even Arclight might be approached.
An article about the January closing and planned renovations: View link