Look Dine-In Cinemas opened a new theater in New York City on West 57th Street, showcasing a midcentury modern design with wood, windows, and a stocked bar. The 12th location of the chain, the theater in the Bjarke Ingels-designed Via 57 West building offers laser projection, wall-to-wall oversize screens, digital surround sound, luxury recliners, and mobile ordering in its seven auditoriums, ranging in size from 180 seats to 25 for private events.
CEO Brian Schultz, founder of Studio Movie Grill, said he customized each Look location to his design aesthetic, which is meant to create a comfortable feeling for moviegoers. The theater will show a mix of films that cater to families, dating crowds, teenagers, and seniors. Schultz said the chain does well with mid-budget films and is looking forward to the return of R-rated comedies.
Schultz said he wants to serve the entire community with his theater and believes that effective exhibitor marketing is key. He added that the industry talked about it for years but didn’t have great tools, which were developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said Look Dine-In Cinemas’ marketing is tailored to each customer’s preferences.
Theater chains have been dedicating many screens to wide releases, challenging independent distributors. Look will play indie films but is not an arthouse chain. Schultz predicts that the slower-to-recover indie market will revive but could take a little longer, and the big question for any size film is what experience moviegoers will have.
The new theater opened with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Super Mario Bros., Evil Dead Rise, Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, Love Again, and Polite Society on the marquee. Schultz said he selects locations for new theaters based on areas that need a good theater.
New specialty openings this week include cross-cultural romantic comedy What’s Love Got To Do With It? on 560 screens, documentary Slava Ukraini on six screens/six markets, Chile ’76 on two screens, and The Melt Goes on Forever: The Art & Times of David Hammons at Film Forum.
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