The Bruin Theater in Westwood is scheduled to reopen in mid-October after a two-year closure. Toronto-based exhibitor Rui Pereira has signed a lease to revive the historic venue.
The Bruin Theater, which first opened in 1937, closed in July 2024 when Regency Theaters' lease ended. Pereira, who has operated theaters in Canada for years, signed the lease with the Martyn Skouras family, descendants of former 20th Century Fox president Spyros Panagiotis Skouras.
Pereira said the theater remains in good condition. He plans to restore the 70mm and 35mm projectors while upgrading digital equipment and keeping the original seats and screen intact.
"I want to keep the essence of the theater, I don't want to erase its history or gloss it over," Pereira told Deadline. He has been approached by studios for premieres and screenings, raising the possibility of special events before the mid-October reopening.
The marquee is expected to light up soon with ads for Warner Bros.' Practical Magic 2. The reopening follows news of other Los Angeles theaters being revived.
