AMC Classic Woodbridge 5
4626 Barranca Parkway,
Irvine,
CA
92604
4626 Barranca Parkway,
Irvine,
CA
92604
4 people
favorited this theater
Rumor has it that Edwards “stole” this five screen complex from Mann Theatres just before it officially opened on February 8, 1980. Edwards added Dolby Stereo to all 5 screens in the 1990’s.
Todd Blood, of Captain Blood’s Village Theatre fame, took over the lease in 2001 after Edwards shuttered it as part of their bankruptcy. Todd Blood added digital sound in all but one screen, and the lobby got a make-over. All five screens remained at a fixed 2:1 apect ratio, which crops movies (1.85:1 is overly cropped top and bottom, and 2.35:1 is severely cropped on the left and right.
In the Spring of 2005, Captain Blood lost the lease. Starplex Cinemas renovated the theater and operated it as a second run theatre. It was taken over by AMC in January 2016.
Contributed by
Todd Erwin
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Recent comments (view all 22 comments)
“The Rocketeer” was presented at Edwards Woodbridge in 35mm Dolby Stereo beginning on Friday June 21, 1991.
I see this theater officially becomes an AMC venue today, all part of AMC’s $172 million acquisition of Starplex. Per Fandango, tickets are still $2. Apparently the Woodbridge has been closed all week for refurbishment. Anyone know more?
Walked by the theater this weekend. No noticeable changes other than ticket prices on the marquee are now $1.99/$2.99 instead of $2/$3. Only AMC signage visible is a little sign in the box office window.
The theatre never closed for refurbishment; it merely opened late on 1/21/16 to accommodate a conversion to AMC’s network and POS systems. Thus far, the changes have been more back office/support systems/procedure oriented.
Walked by today and was surprised to see titles like “Dunkirk” and “War for the Planet of the Apes” listed on the marquee. Matinees are actually $4.99 ($7.99 for 3D) until 4PM, then $6.99 until close ($9.99 for 3D). Still better prices than any other first-run venue in the area.
Seems rather odd, though, that AMC would pit the little five-screen Woodbridge against its nearby Tustin/District multiplex for fist-run choices. Screen size aside, why would your average patron pay $12.69 for a matinee of “Dunkirk” when they could pay $4.99 just a couple of miles down the street.
AMC has now removed the marquee and replaced it with a huge red AMC logo. Films and showtimes are now printed on a piece of paper taped to the box office. This appears to be a growing trend in the industry as most people use their phones now to see what’s playing. Kind of sad, especially when it happens to your childhood theater.
The 2017 price increase/move to first run was primarily due to a growing difficulty in securing bookings. Many of the top tittles simply weren’t being made available for subrun anymore. Couple that with AMC’s business approach (i.e. they were never exactly on board with subrun)and the change was basically unavoidable. As for pitting the Woodbridge against local full price theatres, there was a belief that it would attract people who wouldn’t pay full price, but not draw from people who would pay more for added amenities elsewhere (i.e. Tustin). The ultimate success/failure of the change is debatable.
The marquee removal was the result of a company wide movement to eliminate marquees; viewing them as antiquated and no longer cost effective. Personally, I always felt this particular site benefited greatly from having a marquee, but there was no room for a “unique” case and a blanket corporate policy took precedence.
March always reminds me of the Woodbridge, especially March of 1984. What a great bunch of titles there 35 years ago this month: Splash, Police Academy, Ice Pirates, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan and Romancing the Stone. I was in seventh grade back then and my buddies and I must have ridden our bikes there nearly every Saturday that month. I want to say matiness were $2.50. Remember it rained quite a bit, just like today in So. CA. Good times.
Happy 40th birthday to the Woodbridge 5, which opened on this date back in 1980. As someone whose family has lived in Irvine since 1971, we were sure glad to finally have our own theater after years of having to leave the city to see a movie.