Summary
- A group of famous filmmakers, including James Gunn, J.J. Abrams, and Christopher Nolan, have joined Jason Reitman in buying the Westwood Village Theater in Los Angeles
- The filmmakers plan to make the theater a vibrant and community-oriented place for movie lovers
- The theater will continue to showcase first-run films and special programming, as well as display artifacts
The likes of James Gunn, J.J. Abrams, Christopher Nolan and more have joined Jason Reitman in buying Westwood’s Village Theater in Los Angeles, California.
Gunn posted pics on his social media and the trades reported on the news.
“So pleased to be a co-owner of the Westwood Village Theater with this incredible group of filmmakers,” said Gunn.
Gunn also added in the press release, “From seeing Terminator opening day in 1984 to having my own film The Suicide Squad premiere there in 2021, the Village has been a part of my personal film journey. I’m ecstatic and, honestly, a bit overwhelmed to be a part of this group of directors committed to making it a vibrant place to experience cinema.”
The group of filmmakers and new owners of the Westwood Village Theater include J.J. Abrams, Judd Apatow, Damien Chazelle, Chris Columbus, Ryan Coogler, Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Jonathan Dayton, Guillermo del Toro, Valerie Faris, Hannah Fidell, Alejandro González Iñárritu, James Gunn, Sian Heder, Rian Johnson, Gil Kenan, Karyn Kusama, Justin Lin, Phil Lord, David Lowery, Christopher McQuarrie, Chris Miller, Christopher Nolan, Alexander Payne, Todd Phillips, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Reitman, Jay Roach, Seth Rogen, Emma Seligman, Brad Silberling, Steven Spielberg, Emma Thomas, Denis Villeneuve, Lulu Wang and Chloé Zhao.
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“Hope to offer a true community for anyone who loves the movies”
“I’ve been coming to Westwood for as long as I can remember,” Reitman said in a statement in the announcement via THR. “Many of my movies, including Juno, Up in the Air and Ghostbusters Afterlife all premiered at the corner of Broxton and Weyburn. When the Village Theater went on the market, I had visions of how quickly the National Theater became a block of condos. I immediately made an offer and hoped my fellow directors would join me on this adventure. We take this stewardship very seriously and hope to offer a true community for anyone who loves the movies.”
Westwood Village also said on social media, “Exciting news for movie lovers in LA! The iconic Village Theater in Westwood is now under new management with Hollywood’s biggest names, led by director Jason Reitman. This historic movie palace, a favorite for premieres since 1931, will continue to shine with a diverse group of Oscar-winning filmmakers as owners. Get ready for a mix of first-run films and special programming at this beloved theater with a rich cinematic history.”
The announcement also adds that the Westwood Village Theater will showcase many artifacts from the personal collections of the directors, including props, wardrobe and film prints, and Chris Columbus will share his extensive collection of 16mm film prints.
“The theater will remain open while plans for a restaurant, bar and gallery are finalized,” states the announcement. “The Westside Purple Line extension will arrive in Westwood in 2027. The Olympic Village for the LA28 Olympic Games will also be located in Westwood. In 2031, the Village Theater will celebrate a hundred years in operation.”
Batman: The Dark Knight Trilogy and Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan said in a statement, “Cinema has always been the place where filmmakers and moviegoers meet, and I’m thrilled to be collaborating with so many of my favorite directors on a space that will show what the future of film exhibition can be.”
Steven Spielberg also added, “I have so many vivid memories of seeing films at the Village Theater and I am excited to be part of this group that is intent on restoring Westwood to its glory years as a film-going cultural institution.”
