Miami Beach film lovers have been dreading the news since it was first announced in 2023, but the credits will soon roll for Regal South Beach 18.
Showing countless movies since 1999, the landmark theater on Lincoln Road has been a go-to for cinema buffs, and its final date is set for September 30th, according to the Miami Herald. Its sleek design, vast film selection and the very fact that it was Miami Beach’s only major multiplex theater made it a community favorite.
It found itself on a list of 39 theaters that Regal Cinemas, the world’s second-largest cinema business, would be closing across the U.S. Facing a decrease in moviegoers related to the pandemic and shifts to streaming, the decision would be made months after Regal’s parent company, Cineworld, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
But the space won’t stay empty. As reported by WLRN, a new Superhuman Museum is set to take its place. Former Miami Beach mayoral candidate Steve Berke is behind the immersive museum, which will feature 17 exhibits combining art and technology, and plans for the project have already been approved by the Miami Beach planning board.
Additionally, the board said thousands of people wrote in hoping that the theater would be saved, but Regal was leasing the location month by month and had plans on leaving regardless.
South Beach’s Regal Cinemas will be showing its final films for the next two weeks. You can book tickets to its last screenings here.
Will you miss watching movies here or are you looking forward to seeing what the upcoming museum has in store?
📍 1120 Lincoln Road Mall, Miami Beach, FL 33139