Cineplex Entertainment
Encyclopedia
Cineplex Entertainment LP , is the largest film exhibitor in Canada and owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,351 screens. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex operates theatres from British Columbia
to Quebec
. The company operates the Cineplex Odeon, Galaxy, Famous Players, Colossus, Coliseum, SilverCity, Cinema City, and Scotiabank Theatre brands.
Famous Players Canadian Corporation was founded in 1920 when Paramount Pictures bought Nathan Nathanson's Paramount Theatre chain, which he had established four years earlier.The Canadian "Paramount Theatre" chain was not affiliated with the American chain with the same name. Nathanson became the first president of Famous Players Canadian Corporation. The Famous Players Theatres chain was always strongly linked with Paramount Pictures
, and was a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount Communications at the time that firm was acquired by Viacom
in 1994. Some of the most high-profile and popular theatres in the Famous Players chain were the Imperial
and the Uptown
in Toronto
; and the Capitol, Orpheum
, Stanley
, and Strand in Vancouver
.
Nathanson resigned from his post as President of Famous Players Canadian in 1929, but after a government investigation into the new executives' plans to merge with Paramount-Publix Corporation declared this to be an illegal combine, violating anti-trust laws, Nathanson was re-elected as President in May 1933.
Odeon Theatres of Canada was started by Paul Nathanson
, Nathan's son, as "General Theatre Corporation." The "Odeon Theatres of Canada" name was first used in January 1941. The elder Nathanson was rumoured to be involved in the chain, but it was not until early May 1941 that he once again resigned from Famous Players Canadian and acknowledged his position in forming and running Odeon. The chain, initially composed of independent theatres, was not originally affiliated with the British
"Odeon Cinemas
" circuit; it was sold to the British chain's owners, the Rank Organisation
, in 1946. Following World War II
, there was a wave of anglophilia
in Ontario
; Odeon emphasised their British ownership to capitalize on this sentiment, screening British films—particularly those made by Rank.
Odeon Canada merged with the Canadian Theatres chain in 1978, becoming known as Canadian Odeon Theatres.
On April 19, 1979, Nathan "Nat" Taylor, inventor of the multiscreen theater
, and Garth Drabinsky
opened the first Cineplex location, an 18-screen complex in the basement of the Toronto
Eaton Centre
. At the time, the theatre's 1,600 seats earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. After successfully challenging the Famous Players/Canadian Odeon duopoly and their exclusive contracts with major studios, Cineplex proceeded to purchase Canadian Odeon, forming Cineplex Odeon Corporation. The Bronfman family
was a major investor in the purchase.
, rebranding them as Cineplex Odeon Theatres as well. Back in Canada, Drabinsky used his new position to aggressively challenge Famous Players Theatres, opening more ultramodern multiplexes nationwide.
Most famously, Famous Players Theatres allowed the lease on a property containing the entrance of one of its flagship Toronto
locations, the Imperial Six, to lapse in 1986. Cineplex immediately took over the lease, denying Famous Players Theatres access to the portion of the property that they already owned outright. Famous Players eventually sold its property to Cineplex Odeon Cinemas, on the condition it never again be used to show filmed entertainment. Cineplex's live-theatre division renovated the theatre; renamed the Pantages Theatre
, it hosted The Phantom of the Opera
for ten years. The theatre is now known as the Canon Theatre.
Cineplex also established a distribution unit, Cineplex Odeon Films
, during this period; its assets were largely sold to Alliance Atlantis
in 1998. A home-video division was started in 1986, replacing Pan-Canadian Video Presentations. The home-video division was sold to Alliance Atlantis in 1998.
Famous Players expanded throughout the 1990s. Under chairman John Bailey, Famous Players re-built its infrastructure from 1997 to 2003 with new "megaplex" theatre brands featuring stadium seating
, such as SilverCity and Coliseum, with food courts and video games.
Also during this time, AMC Theatres
entered the Canadian market, and most of the traditional ties between the existing chains and the major studios began to unwind, putting all three chains in full-on competition in several major markets.
and its MCA division, which subsequently merged Cineplex Odeon Theatres with Sony
's Loews Theatres. The resulting firm, Loews Cineplex Entertainment
, went bankrupt in 2001 due to the economic recession of the early 2000s, leading to a buyout led by Onex Corporation.
Meanwhile, Galaxy Entertainment Inc. was created in 1999 by Ellis Jacob, a former Chief Operating Officer
of Cineplex, and Stephen Brown, a former Cineplex Chief Financial Officer
. With investments from Onex and Famous Players, the new company focused on smaller markets that were usually served by smaller theatres and old equipment, opening large, major chain-style locations under the Galaxy Cinemas banner.
In October 2003, Loews Cineplex Theatres merged its Canadian operations with Galaxy Cinemas, forming Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund. Jacob became the chief executive of Cineplex Galaxy Cinemas, and Brown became the CFO. Onex was the controlling shareholder of both Loews Cineplex Theatres and Galaxy Cinemas at the time of the merger, but sold its interest in Loews in June 2004. It maintained control of Cineplex Galaxy.
In 2004, Famous Players Theatres locations in the Maritimes
, none of which were branded-concept theatres, were sold to the region's dominant exhibitor, Empire Theatres
. Canadian Odeon locations in the region had been sold to Empire in the late 1970s or early 1980s, prior to the former's acquisition by Cineplex Odeon Cinemas.
On June 13, 2005, Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund announced its acquisition of Famous Players Theatres from Viacom
for $
500 million (about US$
397 million). This deal was completed on July 22, 2005. To satisfy antitrust concerns, on August 22, 2005 the group announced the sale of 27 locations in Ontario
and western Canada
to Empire Theatres
.
Cineplex Entertainment announced on March 31, 2006 that it had sold seven more theatres in Quebec to Chelsea-based Fortune Cinemas Inc.
Eight days after Cineplex Galaxy announced its purchase of Famous Players Theatres, Loews Cineplex Theatres and AMC Theatres announced a merger. While AMC Theatres also operates in Canada
and will be ranked third behind Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund and the enlarged Empire Theatres, Cineplex Odeon and AMC Theatres remain competitors in Canada.
Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund, the owners of the chain, renamed it to Cineplex Entertainment on October 3, 2005.
On June 29, 2007, Cineplex Entertainment announced its purchase of three Cinema City theatres in western Canada. Two theatres in Winnipeg and one in Edmonton were purchased.
On February 1, 2010, Fortune Cinemas went bankrupt and Cineplex Entertainment bought some of Fortune Cinemas theatres. The Starcité Gatineau (Starcité Hull) and the Cavendish theaters were reopened as Cineplex Entertainment theatres.
, which owns most of the theatres divested following the Cineplex/Famous Players merger, and AMC Theatres
. However, as Empire is the only major exhibitor in Atlantic Canada
, Cineplex and Empire continue to cooperate on select promotions, particularly free or discounted ticket offers on food products. In Quebec
, Cinemas Guzzo
is the company's main competitor.
On June 30, 2010, a cinema concept called UltraAVX made its public debut at two Toronto and Calgary locations. It has since been rolled out to other cities in Ontario
, Quebec
, British Columbia
, Alberta
and Saskatchewan
. UltraAVX features screens that are considerably larger than Cineplex Odeon's traditional ones, and a Dolby Digital
7.1 surround sound
system. Christie Solaria 2230 DLP Cinema projectors provide distinct digital and 3D presentations. Guests can reserve seats, which are extra wide rocking seats with high backs. UltraAVX is currently available at 23 Cineplex locations across the country.
Cineplex debuted the purpose-built concept of "VIP Theatres" in 2007 in Oakville. These theatres have their own private box office, in-seat concession service, and allow guests to have alcoholic beverages in their seats (the theatre is only for guests who are 19+). Guests can reserve seats, which are extra wide rocking seats with high backs. There are currently 3 locations: two in Toronto, and one in London, Ontario.
The SilverCity locations in Oakville and CrossIron Mills
feature the X-SCAPE Entertainment Centre, featuring an expanded arcade area and licensed lounge.
The Famous Players brand encompasses a number of different banners and theatre designs, many of which were developed during the chain's suburban expansion, including several new locations in power centres in the late 1990s. The Famous Players banner (by itself) is now primarily used on the chain's so-called "traditional" theatres, mostly in older downtown or mall locations, which have small numbers of screens and traditional concessions; 10 such locations remain, most having been supplanted by larger cinemas.
The group runs 25 SilverCity cinemas, medium- to large-size locations found in medium-sized cities, suburbs, or secondary neighbourhoods. These theatres are slightly larger than, but otherwise similar to, Galaxy locations. Although originated by Famous Players, Cineplex has continued to build new SilverCity complexes since their merger.
Four larger suburban Famous Players theatres fall under the Coliseum banner, and are notable for their round façade. This was the first of the branded concepts introduced by Famous Players. These locations are usually slightly larger than SilverCity theatres, and feature additional branded concessions. Coliseums are located in Scarborough
(Scarborough Town Centre
), Mississauga
(Square One Shopping Centre
), the Montreal suburb of Kirkland
, and the west end of Ottawa
. (The former Coliseum in Calgary
was acquired by Empire Theatres
.)
Even larger are the three Colossus theatres; this format was developed in direct response to the entry of megaplex operator AMC Theatres
into Canada. Colossus theatres are found in Laval
, a suburb of Montreal; Vaughan
, a suburb of Toronto; and Langley
, a suburb of Vancouver.
Five Cineplex complexes are branded Scotiabank Theatres , as a side deal to a customer-loyalty program agreement made in 2007 between Cineplex and Scotiabank
. Scotiabank Theatres are located in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. Most of these were originally built by Famous Players under the Paramount banner; however that name had to be discontinued as a condition of Viacom's sale of the chain.
Cineplex Entertainment currently operates 12 IMAX
screens, which, are located within twelve Scotiabank, Colossus, Coliseum, and SilverCity locations.
Cineplex also owns a minority interest in Alliance Cinemas
, in partnership with Alliance Films
. At its peak the chain had five locations; three locations have been sold or closed, while the two remaining locations have been up for sale since summer 2005.
SCENE members can also earn points with the SCENE ScotiaCard (debit card) and SCENE VISA card.
As of November 2010 customers could also download movies from the Cineplex website the same day as they are available in stores. Customers have two options: download-to-own, or video-on-demand (wherein the video is available for a 48 hour period after downloads). Currently, films are available from 20th Century Fox
, Sony
, Warner Bros, and Universal Pictures
.
, IATSE Local 523 represents all projectionists.
Cineplex operations outside Quebec are generally non-unionized.
has been the exclusive soft drink
supplier to Cineplex theatres, and Hershey
candy is available throughout the chain. Kinder Surprise
eggs are available as candies in kids' combos used to promote a kids' movie. However, the branding of other concessions varies; Cineplex and Galaxy have historically been associated with Pizza Pizza
and Yogen Früz
, while Famous Players has served Yum Brands (including KFC
, Pizza Hut
, and Taco Bell
), Burger King
, Baskin-Robbins
, and TCBY
products. Both companies have had New York Fries
establishments in their theatres.
Cineplex Entertainment is in the process of replacing all Baskin Robbins and stand-alone TCBY locations with Yogen Früz. TCBY will remain at Famous Players Concession Stands in theaters not served by Yogen Früz. Cineplex Entertainment has no plans to phase out any of the other branded concessions, although the former Famous Players suppliers are not expected to appear in any new theater installations.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The company operates the Cineplex Odeon, Galaxy, Famous Players, Colossus, Coliseum, SilverCity, Cinema City, and Scotiabank Theatre brands.
Early development
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, and was a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount Communications at the time that firm was acquired by Viacom
Viacom (1971–2005)
Viacom , stylized as VIACOM in its current logo, was an American media conglomerate. It was the owner of CBS, Nickelodeon & MTV, among others. Effective December 31, 2005, this corporate entity changed its name to CBS Corporation...
in 1994. Some of the most high-profile and popular theatres in the Famous Players chain were the Imperial
Canon Theatre
-History:The Canon Theatre began as the Pantages Theatre in 1920 as a combination vaudeville and motion picture house. Designed by the great theatre architect Thomas W. Lamb, it was the largest cinema in Canada and one of the most elegant.The Pantages was built by the Canadian motion picture...
and the Uptown
Uptown Theatre (Toronto)
The Uptown Theatre was a historic movie theatre in Toronto, Ontario which was demolished in 2003. The entrance to the theatre was located on Yonge Street just south of Bloor. Like many theatres of the time it was constructed so that only the entrance was on a major thoroughfare while the main...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
; and the Capitol, Orpheum
Orpheum, Vancouver
The Orpheum is a theatre and music venue in Vancouver, British Columbia. Along with the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Vancouver Playhouse, it is part of the Vancouver Civic Theatres group of live performance venues...
, Stanley
Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage
The Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage is a landmark theatre at 12th and Granville Street in Vancouver, British Columbia which serves as the main stage for the Arts Club Theatre Company. The Stanley first opened as a movie theatre in December 1930, and showed movies for over sixty years before...
, and Strand in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.
Nathanson resigned from his post as President of Famous Players Canadian in 1929, but after a government investigation into the new executives' plans to merge with Paramount-Publix Corporation declared this to be an illegal combine, violating anti-trust laws, Nathanson was re-elected as President in May 1933.
Odeon Theatres of Canada was started by Paul Nathanson
Paul Nathanson
Paul Nathanson is a Canadian religious studies academic. He has a BA in art history ; an MLS ; a BTh ; an MA in religious studies ; and a PhD...
, Nathan's son, as "General Theatre Corporation." The "Odeon Theatres of Canada" name was first used in January 1941. The elder Nathanson was rumoured to be involved in the chain, but it was not until early May 1941 that he once again resigned from Famous Players Canadian and acknowledged his position in forming and running Odeon. The chain, initially composed of independent theatres, was not originally affiliated with the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
"Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas is a British chain of cinemas, one of the largest in Europe. It is owned by Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group whose ultimate parent is Terra Firma Capital Partners.-History:Odeon Cinemas was created in 1928 by Oscar Deutsch...
" circuit; it was sold to the British chain's owners, the Rank Organisation
Rank Organisation
The Rank Organisation was a British entertainment company formed during 1937 and absorbed in 1996 by The Rank Group Plc. It was the largest and most vertically-integrated film company in Britain, owning production, distribution and exhibition facilities....
, in 1946. Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, there was a wave of anglophilia
Anglophilia
An Anglophile is a person who is fond of English culture or, more broadly, British culture. Its antonym is Anglophobe.-Definition:The word comes from Latin Anglus "English" via French, and is ultimately derived from Old English Englisc "English" + Ancient Greek φίλος - philos, "friend"...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
; Odeon emphasised their British ownership to capitalize on this sentiment, screening British films—particularly those made by Rank.
Odeon Canada merged with the Canadian Theatres chain in 1978, becoming known as Canadian Odeon Theatres.
On April 19, 1979, Nathan "Nat" Taylor, inventor of the multiscreen theater
Multiplex (movie theater)
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
, and Garth Drabinsky
Garth Drabinsky
Garth Howard Drabinsky, OC is a former Canadian film and theatrical producer and entrepreneur. In 2009, he was convicted and sentenced to prison for fraud and forgery. His sentence is stayed, pending appeal.-Biography:...
opened the first Cineplex location, an 18-screen complex in the basement of the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
Eaton Centre
Toronto Eaton Centre
The Toronto Eaton Centre is a large shopping mall and office complex in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, named after the now-defunct Eaton's department store chain that once anchored it. In terms of the number of visitors, the shopping mall is Toronto's top tourist attraction, with around one...
. At the time, the theatre's 1,600 seats earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. After successfully challenging the Famous Players/Canadian Odeon duopoly and their exclusive contracts with major studios, Cineplex proceeded to purchase Canadian Odeon, forming Cineplex Odeon Corporation. The Bronfman family
Bronfman family
The Bronfman family is a Canadian Jewish family. It owes its initial fame to Samuel Bronfman , who made a fortune in the alcoholic distilled beverage business during the 20th century through the family's Seagram Company. The family is of Russian Jewish and Romanian Jewish ancestry...
was a major investor in the purchase.
Expansion and competition
In the 1980s, Drabinsky purchased regional circuits throughout the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, rebranding them as Cineplex Odeon Theatres as well. Back in Canada, Drabinsky used his new position to aggressively challenge Famous Players Theatres, opening more ultramodern multiplexes nationwide.
Most famously, Famous Players Theatres allowed the lease on a property containing the entrance of one of its flagship Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
locations, the Imperial Six, to lapse in 1986. Cineplex immediately took over the lease, denying Famous Players Theatres access to the portion of the property that they already owned outright. Famous Players eventually sold its property to Cineplex Odeon Cinemas, on the condition it never again be used to show filmed entertainment. Cineplex's live-theatre division renovated the theatre; renamed the Pantages Theatre
Canon Theatre
-History:The Canon Theatre began as the Pantages Theatre in 1920 as a combination vaudeville and motion picture house. Designed by the great theatre architect Thomas W. Lamb, it was the largest cinema in Canada and one of the most elegant.The Pantages was built by the Canadian motion picture...
, it hosted The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux.The music was composed by Lloyd Webber, and most lyrics were written by Charles Hart, with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Alan Jay Lerner was an early collaborator,...
for ten years. The theatre is now known as the Canon Theatre.
Cineplex also established a distribution unit, Cineplex Odeon Films
Cineplex Odeon Films
Cineplex Odeon Films was the film distribution unit of the Canadian cinema chain Cineplex Odeon Corporation....
, during this period; its assets were largely sold to Alliance Atlantis
Alliance Atlantis
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. was a Toronto-based media company that operated primarily as a specialty service operator in Canada. Alliance Atlantis also had offices in Halifax, Los Angeles, London, Dublin, Madrid, Barcelona, Shannon and Sydney.Alliance Atlantis was acquired by Canwest...
in 1998. A home-video division was started in 1986, replacing Pan-Canadian Video Presentations. The home-video division was sold to Alliance Atlantis in 1998.
Famous Players expanded throughout the 1990s. Under chairman John Bailey, Famous Players re-built its infrastructure from 1997 to 2003 with new "megaplex" theatre brands featuring stadium seating
Stadium seating
Stadium seating or theater seating is a characteristic seating arrangement that is most commonly associated with performing-arts venues, and derives its name from stadiums, which typically use this arrangement...
, such as SilverCity and Coliseum, with food courts and video games.
Also during this time, AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
entered the Canadian market, and most of the traditional ties between the existing chains and the major studios began to unwind, putting all three chains in full-on competition in several major markets.
Consolidation
By May 1998, Drabinsky had lost control of Cineplex to the Bronfmans' SeagramSeagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. was a large corporation headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that was the largest distiller of alcoholic beverages in the world. Toward the end of its independent existence it also controlled various entertainment and other business ventures...
and its MCA division, which subsequently merged Cineplex Odeon Theatres with Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's Loews Theatres. The resulting firm, Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Loews Theatres, aka Loews Incorporated , founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew and Brantford Schwartz, was the oldest theater chain operating in North America until it merged with AMC Theatres on January 26, 2006. From 1924 until 1959, it was also the parent company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. The...
, went bankrupt in 2001 due to the economic recession of the early 2000s, leading to a buyout led by Onex Corporation.
Meanwhile, Galaxy Entertainment Inc. was created in 1999 by Ellis Jacob, a former Chief Operating Officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
of Cineplex, and Stephen Brown, a former Cineplex Chief Financial Officer
Chief financial officer
The chief financial officer or Chief financial and operating officer is a corporate officer primarily responsible for managing the financial risks of the corporation. This officer is also responsible for financial planning and record-keeping, as well as financial reporting to higher management...
. With investments from Onex and Famous Players, the new company focused on smaller markets that were usually served by smaller theatres and old equipment, opening large, major chain-style locations under the Galaxy Cinemas banner.
In October 2003, Loews Cineplex Theatres merged its Canadian operations with Galaxy Cinemas, forming Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund. Jacob became the chief executive of Cineplex Galaxy Cinemas, and Brown became the CFO. Onex was the controlling shareholder of both Loews Cineplex Theatres and Galaxy Cinemas at the time of the merger, but sold its interest in Loews in June 2004. It maintained control of Cineplex Galaxy.
In 2004, Famous Players Theatres locations in the Maritimes
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
, none of which were branded-concept theatres, were sold to the region's dominant exhibitor, Empire Theatres
Empire Theatres
Empire Theatres Limited is the second-largest movie theatre chain in Canada, and the only major circuit operating in Atlantic Canada. A subsidiary of Empire Company Ltd., the family-owned parent of the Sobeys supermarket chain presently owns and operates 51 locations in 8 of 10 provinces, from...
. Canadian Odeon locations in the region had been sold to Empire in the late 1970s or early 1980s, prior to the former's acquisition by Cineplex Odeon Cinemas.
On June 13, 2005, Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund announced its acquisition of Famous Players Theatres from Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
for $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
500 million (about US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
397 million). This deal was completed on July 22, 2005. To satisfy antitrust concerns, on August 22, 2005 the group announced the sale of 27 locations in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
to Empire Theatres
Empire Theatres
Empire Theatres Limited is the second-largest movie theatre chain in Canada, and the only major circuit operating in Atlantic Canada. A subsidiary of Empire Company Ltd., the family-owned parent of the Sobeys supermarket chain presently owns and operates 51 locations in 8 of 10 provinces, from...
.
Cineplex Entertainment announced on March 31, 2006 that it had sold seven more theatres in Quebec to Chelsea-based Fortune Cinemas Inc.
Eight days after Cineplex Galaxy announced its purchase of Famous Players Theatres, Loews Cineplex Theatres and AMC Theatres announced a merger. While AMC Theatres also operates in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and will be ranked third behind Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund and the enlarged Empire Theatres, Cineplex Odeon and AMC Theatres remain competitors in Canada.
Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund, the owners of the chain, renamed it to Cineplex Entertainment on October 3, 2005.
On June 29, 2007, Cineplex Entertainment announced its purchase of three Cinema City theatres in western Canada. Two theatres in Winnipeg and one in Edmonton were purchased.
On February 1, 2010, Fortune Cinemas went bankrupt and Cineplex Entertainment bought some of Fortune Cinemas theatres. The Starcité Gatineau (Starcité Hull) and the Cavendish theaters were reopened as Cineplex Entertainment theatres.
Operations and brands
Cineplex's main competitors are Empire TheatresEmpire Theatres
Empire Theatres Limited is the second-largest movie theatre chain in Canada, and the only major circuit operating in Atlantic Canada. A subsidiary of Empire Company Ltd., the family-owned parent of the Sobeys supermarket chain presently owns and operates 51 locations in 8 of 10 provinces, from...
, which owns most of the theatres divested following the Cineplex/Famous Players merger, and AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
. However, as Empire is the only major exhibitor in Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
, Cineplex and Empire continue to cooperate on select promotions, particularly free or discounted ticket offers on food products. In Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Cinemas Guzzo
Cinémas Guzzo
Cinémas Guzzo is a regional chain of movie theaters located in the Canadian province of Quebec. There are currently 8 Mega-Plex locations and 2 Cinema locations, all within the greater Montreal area. All Cinemas Guzzo theatres serve mainly Pepsi products in terms of beverages...
is the company's main competitor.
On June 30, 2010, a cinema concept called UltraAVX made its public debut at two Toronto and Calgary locations. It has since been rolled out to other cities in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. UltraAVX features screens that are considerably larger than Cineplex Odeon's traditional ones, and a Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. It was originally called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1994. Except for Dolby TrueHD, the audio compression is lossy. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35mm film prints...
7.1 surround sound
Surround sound
Surround sound encompasses a range of techniques such as for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. Surround sound is characterized by a listener location or sweet spot where the audio effects work best, and...
system. Christie Solaria 2230 DLP Cinema projectors provide distinct digital and 3D presentations. Guests can reserve seats, which are extra wide rocking seats with high backs. UltraAVX is currently available at 23 Cineplex locations across the country.
Cineplex debuted the purpose-built concept of "VIP Theatres" in 2007 in Oakville. These theatres have their own private box office, in-seat concession service, and allow guests to have alcoholic beverages in their seats (the theatre is only for guests who are 19+). Guests can reserve seats, which are extra wide rocking seats with high backs. There are currently 3 locations: two in Toronto, and one in London, Ontario.
The SilverCity locations in Oakville and CrossIron Mills
Crossiron Mills
CrossIron Mills is a fully enclosed shopping centre development just outside the northern city limits of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and immediately east of the hamlet of Balzac in Rocky View County. It was developed by Ivanhoe Cambridge, a major Canadian real estate company...
feature the X-SCAPE Entertainment Centre, featuring an expanded arcade area and licensed lounge.
Cineplex Odeon Cinemas
Cineplex Odeon Cinemas is the company's most widespread banner, with 43 locations as of July 2011. The newest locations feature a wide variety of movies and some branded concessions, although most locations (even those built through the late 1990s) have traditional concessions only. Locations run the gamut from small mall multiplexes to large, ultra-modern locations.Galaxy Cinemas
Galaxy Cinemas is the predominant brand in mid-sized markets where there has historically been little or no competition, even prior to the Cineplex-Famous Players merger. All have been built since the mid-1990s, although some were renovated from (or replaced) smaller Cineplex Odeon or Famous Players locations. These locations feature six or more screens, branded concessions and stadium-style seating, much like SilverCity. There are 30 Galaxy Cinemas locations as of July 2011.Famous Players and component brands
The group runs 25 SilverCity cinemas, medium- to large-size locations found in medium-sized cities, suburbs, or secondary neighbourhoods. These theatres are slightly larger than, but otherwise similar to, Galaxy locations. Although originated by Famous Players, Cineplex has continued to build new SilverCity complexes since their merger.
Four larger suburban Famous Players theatres fall under the Coliseum banner, and are notable for their round façade. This was the first of the branded concepts introduced by Famous Players. These locations are usually slightly larger than SilverCity theatres, and feature additional branded concessions. Coliseums are located in Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
(Scarborough Town Centre
Scarborough Town Centre
The Scarborough Town Centre is an upscale shopping mall in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Central to the Scarborough City Centre, it is adjacent to the Scarborough Centre RT station and Scarborough Centre Bus Terminal. It was constructed by Oxford Properties and opened in...
), Mississauga
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
(Square One Shopping Centre
Square One Shopping Centre
Square One Shopping Centre is a shopping mall located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest shopping malls in Canada, with over 1.6 million square feet of retail space and more than 360 stores and services...
), the Montreal suburb of Kirkland
Kirkland, Quebec
Kirkland is a town on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. As of 2006, the population was 20,491. It is named after Charles-Aimé Kirkland, a Quebec provincial politician....
, and the west end of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. (The former Coliseum in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
was acquired by Empire Theatres
Empire Theatres
Empire Theatres Limited is the second-largest movie theatre chain in Canada, and the only major circuit operating in Atlantic Canada. A subsidiary of Empire Company Ltd., the family-owned parent of the Sobeys supermarket chain presently owns and operates 51 locations in 8 of 10 provinces, from...
.)
Even larger are the three Colossus theatres; this format was developed in direct response to the entry of megaplex operator AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
into Canada. Colossus theatres are found in Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
, a suburb of Montreal; Vaughan
Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
, a suburb of Toronto; and Langley
Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)
The Township of Langley is a district municipality immediately east of the City of Surrey in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It extends south from the Fraser River to the U.S. border, and west of the City of Abbotsford...
, a suburb of Vancouver.
Five Cineplex complexes are branded Scotiabank Theatres , as a side deal to a customer-loyalty program agreement made in 2007 between Cineplex and Scotiabank
Scotiabank
The Bank of Nova Scotia , commonly known as Scotiabank , is the third largest bank in Canada by deposits and market capitalization. It serves some 18.6 million customers in more than 50 countries around the world and offers a broad range of products and services including personal, commercial,...
. Scotiabank Theatres are located in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. Most of these were originally built by Famous Players under the Paramount banner; however that name had to be discontinued as a condition of Viacom's sale of the chain.
Cineplex Entertainment currently operates 12 IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
screens, which, are located within twelve Scotiabank, Colossus, Coliseum, and SilverCity locations.
Other
The Cinema City brand is used at three locations in Winnipeg and Edmonton that predominately show second-run films.Cineplex also owns a minority interest in Alliance Cinemas
Alliance Atlantis Cinemas
Alliance Cinemas is a small theatre chain nominally headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia which currently operates one small urban theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
, in partnership with Alliance Films
Alliance Films
Alliance Films is a major Canadian motion picture distribution/production company, which serves Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain.-History:It was formed in 1984 by Stephen Roth, Denis Heroux, John Kemeny, Robert Lantos and Jay...
. At its peak the chain had five locations; three locations have been sold or closed, while the two remaining locations have been up for sale since summer 2005.
Front Row Centre Events
In addition to showing films, Cineplex also shows a variety of alternative programming through their subsidary Front Row Centre. This includes live broadcasts of theatre performances (Stratford, National Theatre Live), operas (MET Opera), concerts, and sporting events (WWE).SCENE
Launched in 2007, SCENE is the entertainment rewards program owned by Scotiabank and Cineplex Entertainment. SCENE is free to join and offers members a 10% discount on concession purchases and enables members to earn and redeem points for movie tickets, DVDs and concessions.SCENE members can also earn points with the SCENE ScotiaCard (debit card) and SCENE VISA card.
Cineplex.com
Cineplex.com is the #1 movie exhibition site in Canada. The website offers movie and entertainment news, showtimes, trailers and is also home of the Cineplex store, where customers can buy DVDs.As of November 2010 customers could also download movies from the Cineplex website the same day as they are available in stores. Customers have two options: download-to-own, or video-on-demand (wherein the video is available for a 48 hour period after downloads). Currently, films are available from 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Warner Bros, and Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
.
Labour relations
In the province of Quebec, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 262 represents more than 330 out of 1,100 front-of-house staff. Six theatres in total are represented: Quartier Latin, Place LaSalle, Cavendish mall, Boucherville, Beauport and Brossard DIX-30. In Quebec CityQuebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, IATSE Local 523 represents all projectionists.
Cineplex operations outside Quebec are generally non-unionized.
Suppliers
Since early 2007, Coca-ColaCoca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
has been the exclusive soft drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
supplier to Cineplex theatres, and Hershey
The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
candy is available throughout the chain. Kinder Surprise
Kinder Surprise
Kinder Surprise, also known as a Kinder Egg or, in the original Italian, Kinder Sorpresa, is a confection manufactured by Italian company Ferrero. Originally intended for children, it has the form of a chocolate egg containing a small toy, often requiring assembly.-Overview:Kinder Surprise...
eggs are available as candies in kids' combos used to promote a kids' movie. However, the branding of other concessions varies; Cineplex and Galaxy have historically been associated with Pizza Pizza
Pizza Pizza
Pizza Pizza is a Canadian franchise of pizza restaurants mainly located in the province of Ontario. Other locations operate in Quebec, Nova Scotia, in western Canada , and in non-traditional locations such as university campuses and movie theatres throughout Canada...
and Yogen Früz
Yogen Früz
Yogen Früz is an international chain of frozen yogurt and smoothie stores that also serves healthy alternative food products. Through company-owned, franchised, and non traditional partnerships, Yogen Früz is the largest franchisor and licensor of stores and other locations that serve primarily...
, while Famous Players has served Yum Brands (including KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
, and Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
), Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, Baskin-Robbins
Baskin-Robbins
Baskin-Robbins is a global chain of ice cream parlors founded by Burt Baskin and Irvine Robbins in 1953, from the merging of their respective ice cream parlors, in Glendale, California. It claims to be the world's largest ice cream franchise, with more than 5,800 locations, 2,800 of which are...
, and TCBY
TCBY
TCBY is an international franchise chain of frozen yogurt stores based in the United States. It is the largest U.S. retailer of soft-serve frozen yogurt with live active cultures....
products. Both companies have had New York Fries
New York Fries
New York Fries is a Canadian fast food restaurant that mainly serves french fries and hot dogs. They also serve poutine, The Works , Veggie Works , and Pepsi-Cola brand beverages.There are locations in nine of the ten provinces in Canada, as well as...
establishments in their theatres.
Cineplex Entertainment is in the process of replacing all Baskin Robbins and stand-alone TCBY locations with Yogen Früz. TCBY will remain at Famous Players Concession Stands in theaters not served by Yogen Früz. Cineplex Entertainment has no plans to phase out any of the other branded concessions, although the former Famous Players suppliers are not expected to appear in any new theater installations.