Updated October 31, 2026: Regal Cinemas did reopen. Its US theaters began welcoming audiences back in April 2021, and the chain operates hundreds of locations today. Our original October 2020 report is preserved below as published, followed by a verified timeline of what happened next.
Our original report, October 20, 2020
As the pandemic has remained a constant in our lives today, the chance of things going back to normal has seemed very slim. Simple things that we used to love doing like going out to eat or going shopping at malls aren’t what they used to be. Everything has to be outside and we have to remain isolated and apart from the public. But something that we never thought would be happening is happening. It was reported early in the month of October that Regal Cinemas has closed its doors with no light at the end of the tunnel to re-open.
It is known that CinemaSafe was put into place earlier on in the pandemic to make sure that movie theaters nationwide will stay as clean and sanitized as possible. With the program moving along smoothly, it was assumed that the movie theater business was doing well. People were able to go out and watch movies in a theater knowing that they were following all of the social distancing regulations in place. They were even able to get popcorn!
However, David Brown with Business Wars Daily, “With Films and Audiences Scares, Regal Cinemas Shuts its Doors,” mentions that the insane decrease of new film productions releasing has put movie theaters everywhere at risk for termination. Regal Cinema was, unfortunately, one of those theaters that was not able to stay afloat as the pandemic went on. Even after Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster movie Tenet released, the numbers in the United States were not as shocking as predicted – and were not enough to keep the doors open. Every movie theater needs new movies to keep people coming back.
It isn’t known whether or not Regal will be able to open their doors again, but only time will tell. Hopefully there is a future for movie theaters in the United States again.
What are your thoughts on the recent closing of Regal Cinemas? Let us know down in the comments.
What happened next: Regal’s road back
The closure this article reported was real. On October 5, 2020, Regal’s parent company Cineworld confirmed it would temporarily suspend operations at all of its US and UK theaters from October 8, a move CNBC reported affected roughly 45,000 jobs. What changed afterward is the part this page did not yet know.
On March 23, 2021, Cineworld announced that Regal’s roughly 500 US locations would reopen beginning April 2, 2021 with a limited release of “Godzilla vs. Kong”, expanding more widely on April 16 in time for “Mortal Kombat”, alongside a new theatrical-window agreement with Warner Bros. (CNBC).
The chain’s finances took longer to heal. On September 7, 2022, Cineworld filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States (case docket). The company completed its restructuring and emerged from Chapter 11 on July 31, 2023.
Today the closure this article described is history, not current events. As of November 2025, Regal operates 5,370 screens in 393 theatres across 41 states, plus the District of Columbia and Guam, according to the company’s own corporate page. Investment has continued into 2026: a remodeled Regal at Destiny USA in Syracuse reopened in May 2026 (syracuse.com), and the new Regal Randolph, built at a former Showcase Cinema site with an IMAX auditorium, opened in October 2026 (Hoodline).
Frequently asked questions
Is Regal Cinemas still closed?
No. Regal’s US theaters closed temporarily in October 2020 and began reopening in April 2021. As of November 2025 the chain operates 393 theatres across 41 states, plus DC and Guam, per Regal’s corporate site.
When did Regal Cinemas reopen?
Cineworld announced on March 23, 2021 that Regal would reopen its US theaters beginning April 2, 2021, with wider reopening from April 16, 2021.
Did Regal Cinemas go out of business?
No. Its parent company Cineworld filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 7, 2022 and emerged on July 31, 2023. Regal theaters continued operating throughout, and the chain has opened and remodeled locations as recently as 2026.
This article originally published on GREY Journal.
