STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Regal UA in Mariners Harbor will prep its final batches of popcorn and show its last film this week: According to an alert on the movie theater’s website, the longstanding borough business will close its doors for good on Thursday, July 20.
Located at 2474 Forest Ave., across the street from Home Depot, the theater is one of Staten Island’s largest, containing 16 screens and over 3,500 seats.
Its closure comes after the theater chain’s parent company, Cineworld, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January, rejecting leases for dozens of its movie houses. Cineworld recently amended its plan for reorganization, The Hollywood Reporter noted, establishing a newly incorporated company, “NewCo,” to become the sole owner of Cineworld when it emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this month. That change reportedly sparked more closures, with several local news agencies reporting that theaters will soon shutter in Illinois, Texas, Indiana, Kansas and Pennsylvania.
Regal Cinemas is considered the second-largest theater chain in the United States behind AMC, operating more than 500 locations throughout the nation. According to Advance/SILive records, the Mariners Harbor location was originally opened by United Artists in November 2001. It was updated and equipped as a Regal Premium Experience (RPX) in 2014, when the company added immersive sound effects and laser projectors.
After shuttering during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Regal location remained closed even when movie houses were permitted to be open. In January 2021 it was listed “For Lease,” but eventually reopened on May 7, 2021, still operated by Regal.
The theater’s final day will include showings of “Barbie,” “Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning” and “Sound of Freedom.” According to Regal UA’s website, the final show will be at 10:20 p.m. Customers are currently being directed to the chain’s other Staten Island location, Regal Bricktown…
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