The 101-year-old Egyptian Theatre, one of the oldest and most iconic of Los Angeles’ classic movie palaces, is set to open its doors again on Nov. 9 after undergoing an extensive renovation to restore it to its original glory.
The theater, which hosted the first-ever Hollywood premiere, for Douglas Fairbanks’ 1922 “Robin Hood,” will reopen with a special screening of Netflix’s upcoming thriller “The Killer” followed by a Q&A with the film’s director, David Fincher. The film is scheduled to hit the streaming platform on Nov. 10.
The long-awaited grand reopening comes three years after Netflix purchased the Egyptian from the Los Angeles film nonprofit American Cinematheque, which had owned it since 1996. Over decades, the once-opulent theater had gone through a number of ownership changes and suffered from neglect and damage from the 1994 Northridge earthquake. In 1993, the theater was declared a city landmark by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission, sparing it from the possibility of demolition.
The interior and exterior of the theater have been restored and updated.
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
In the immediate wake of Netflix’s purchase, some film lovers and preservationists expressed concern whether the streaming giant that had upended the theatrical business would be the best steward for one of Hollywood’s most beloved movie houses. But under Netflix’s ownership, the Egyptian’s exterior and interior, ornately adorned with hieroglyphics and sphinxes, have been restored, the theater’s lighting and sound system have been upgraded and the theater has been seismically retrofitted to meet a city mandate.
In celebration of the theater’s return, Netflix — which intends to use the theater to showcase its Oscar hopefuls and other theatrical releases — will release a short documentary called “Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre,” featuring interviews with filmmakers including Guillermo del Toro and Rian Johnson as well as the theater’s restoration architect, Peyton Hall.
The original ceilings were restored in the Egyptian Theatre.
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
The American Cinematheque will continue to program the theater Friday through Sunday, with Netflix, which also has taken over the Paris Theater in New York, handling the other days.
The Egyptian will host the American Cinematheque’s annual 70mm festival, Ultra Cinematheque 70 Fest, Nov. 10-21, featuring classics from the golden age of the wide, high-resolution format through its modern-day revival. That lineup will be announced on Oct. 24 with tickets available on the American Cinematheque’s website.
Crowds gather for the opening of Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre in 1922.
(Herald Examiner Collection / Los Angeles Public Library)
From Nov. 22 to Dec. 7, the Egyptian will feature director-star Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro,” which premiered last month at the Venice Film Festival and is one of Netflix’s key award-season hopefuls. On Dec. 5, the Egyptian will screen “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” and other short films by director Wes Anderson.
Tickets for the reopening screening of “The Killer” will go on sale on the theater’s website on Oct. 25.