After sitting dark for five years, the long-shuttered movie theater at Riverview Plaza in South Philadelphia is finally getting a blockbuster sequel -complete with the city’s only IMAX screen.
IMAX and Apple Cinemas, a boutique theater chain based in Massachusetts, have announced plans to renovate the former Regal multiplex at 1400 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. The upgraded venue will feature an IMAX screen with a laser projection system, immersive sound, and a seating deck.
Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX, said in a statement:
A number of our locations in Suburban Philadelphia are among our best performing in the country, so we’re excited to return to the city itself in a prime location with a great partner in Apple Cinemas.
When the Regal United Artists theater closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the highest-grossing multiplex in Philadelphia.
Important to note, the city has been without an IMAX since The Franklin Institute’s Tuttleman Theater permanently closed during the pandemic, and AMC’s Northeast Philly IMAX shut down earlier this year.
🍿 Riverview Plaza Movie Theater: a waterfront cinema with history
Developer Bart Blatstein’s Tower Investments built the theater in the late ’80s, debuting in 1991 with nine screens and later expanding to 17, including an original IMAX.
Ownership changed hands over the years, and although a $12 million renovation plan was once floated, it never came to life.
Blatstein reacquired the property in 2022, and Thursday’s announcement confirms that the long-anticipated comeback is officially in the works.
Moreover, he also hinted at opening two restaurants at the plaza, adding even more reasons for a Delaware River night out.
🎥 Part of a bigger picture
Apple Cinemas currently partners with IMAX at three U.S. locations, with three more on the way. Once complete, the South Philly theater will be a “marquee” IMAX destination among the brand’s 375 U.S screens, joining regional locations in King of Prussia, Warrington, Bensalem, Cherry Hill, and beyond.
For Philly movie lovers, this is a win! It means no more trekking to the suburbs for a towering screen and bone-rattling sound.
Come 2026, the ultimate cinematic experience will be right here in the city…popcorn included.