The six-screen movie theater at One Colorado in Old Pasadena, dark since iPic closed its doors in June, is getting a new operator and a new name. Look Cinemas plans to take over the space at 42 Miller Alley and reopen it on December 10, bringing back reclining pod seating, upgraded sound, and dine-in service to a venue that has cycled through operators for more than three decades.
A Theater With a Long History of Turnover
According to Boxoffice Pro, Look Cinemas confirmed it will open the new location at One Colorado on December 10. The venue first opened as a movie theater in 1991 and has since operated under AMC, Laemmle, Gold Class, and most recently iPic, per ColoradoBoulevard.net. iPic closed the venue in June while the chain was undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, the outlet reports.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the former iPic theater is expected to reopen in early December under Look's management. The reopening comes after the iPic dine-in theater chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this year, according to the same report. The Times also notes that iPic had 13 locations nationwide, including Pasadena and Westwood, though Deadline separately reports that Look currently operates seven theaters and 67 screens not counting the Pasadena location — the two outlets' figures on Look's broader footprint differ.
What the Renovated Theater Will Look Like
Look plans to restore and renovate the six-screen theater before reopening, including installing new sound systems and laser projection technology, the Times reports. The Pasadena location is also expected to carry a more upscale menu than other Look locations, along with more intimate service, per the same account. Guests can expect luxury reclining pod seating, immersive picture and sound, and Look's mobile ordering system, with chef-inspired food and craft beverages delivered to their seats, according to Yahoo Entertainment.
Programming at the Pasadena venue will mix studio wide releases, independent films, and special programs and screenings, and the space will also be available for corporate and community events, according to Deadline. ColoradoBoulevard.net similarly reports that Look will offer private bookings and programming featuring major releases, independent films, documentaries, and special screenings. Look already has a second Southern California location in Glendale, per the outlet.
Staffers and Leadership Return
Look has hired the location's longtime general manager, as well as at least 25 hourly employees who once worked there, the Times reports. Look Dine-In Cinemas CEO Brian Schultz told Deadline the company did not want the One Colorado theater's story to end, saying, “we weren't willing to let that story end.”
Schultz's comment comes against a backdrop of volatility for the chain. The Times reports that in February, Look abruptly closed three of its Southern California locations, a decision Schultz attributed to an inability to come to an agreement with the landlord.
Part of a Broader Cinema Comeback
The Pasadena reopening fits into what Deadline describes as a resurgence of Los Angeles-area screens, with Cinema United's latest cinema investment report finding that exhibitors have spent $2.7 billion on upgrades and new builds over the past two years. The Times notes that as of November 8, domestic box-office revenue stood at about $8.63 billion, up 20.6% from the same point a year earlier, though it still lags pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
Other projects point to the same trend. The Hollywood Reporter describes a broader revival of L.A.'s cinema scene that includes the Cinerama Dome, ArcLight Hollywood, Culver Theatre, Egyptian, Village, Vista, and Highland Theatre. Paramount Pictures and developer Rick Caruso have announced plans to reopen the Bay Theater at Palisades Village, with The Lot, a luxury dine-in chain, set to operate it and bring first-run releases from all studios, classics, and experiential events, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Yahoo Entertainment, however, reports that the Bay Theater has recently reopened under a new lease with Skydance — an account that conflicts with the Hollywood Reporter's description of the project as still planned.
Elsewhere, Sony is planning a restoration of the Cinerama Dome and rehabilitation of the adjacent former ArcLight Hollywood multiplex, with Yahoo Entertainment reporting that Sony Pictures and Alamo Drafthouse are preparing to reopen both venues in 2028. Closer to Pasadena, the Alex Theatre in Glendale completed renovations that added a 35/70mm projector room and updated sound systems over the summer, per Yahoo Entertainment.
For now, the countdown in Old Pasadena points to December 10, when Look Cinemas is set to reopen the doors at One Colorado after months of silence inside the shopping center's longtime movie house.
