Paramount to Take Over Bay Theatre in Pacific Palisades

Paramount Pictures will take over the Bay Theatre in Pacific Palisades and plans to reopen it later this year, Variety reported on 13 October 2026.

Day-to-day operations will be handled by The Lot of San Diego, an operator of boutique cinemas. The venue is a five-screen multiplex inside Palisades Village, the open-air shopping area developed by Rick Caruso.

The cinema has been dark since wildfires damaged Pacific Palisades in January 2025. Palisades Village itself reopened in August after extensive remediation and repairs, according to the same report.

It is a familiar address with a layered history. The current Bay Theatre was previously operated by Netflix, and before that by Cinepolis. Its name nods to the historic Bay Theatre that stood nearby on Sunset Boulevard until it closed in 1978.

Paramount plans a mix of first-run releases, meaning brand-new films in their initial cinema run, alongside classic films, live events and special programmes. The building offers luxurious seating, modern sound and projection, in-theatre dining and signature cocktails.

What makes this stand out is the continuity. For locals, this means five screens returning to the neighbourhood after almost two years without them. For Paramount, it means a flagship showcase a short drive from the studios, where premieres and revivals can play side by side.