ARVADA, Colo. — A location of the much-loved Elvis Cinemas is getting a sequel.
Colorado-based Sonora Cinemas has reached an agreement to open in the now-empty movie theater at Sheridan Boulevard and West 64th Avenue.
Sonora Cinemas is a first-run theater that shows primarily mainstream releases. It previously operated on the other side of the Denver metro area, at 777 Peoria St. in Aurora, and closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three years later, it's found a new home in Arvada.
On Friday morning, the change became official as crews removed the old Elvis Cinemas signage and replaced it with signage for Sonora Cinemas.
The theater aims to reopen in a few weeks after some renovations, said Louis Sullivan, Sonora Cinemas' film buyer and corporate general manager.
"Sonora is super excited about the opportunity to relaunch," Sullivan said.
Sonora Cinemas started more than two decades ago and got new life about three years ago, when its then-CEO and president Jose Roberto Sanchez purchased the company, Sullivan said.
They were looking for a theater in which to reopen that shared similarities with their previous location in Aurora, and the former Elvis Cinemas in the Arlington Square shopping area fit the bill, he said.
The theater plans to show primarily first-run mainstream Hollywood movies but will also be multilingual. It will have English-language movies with Spanish subtitles, Spanish-language movies, and Spanish-language movies with English subtitles.
The announcement puts to rest chatter that started weeks ago, when the sign outside the empty Arvada movie theater changed from "closed" to "reopening soon new mgt."
The Colorado family-owned Elvis Cinemas movie theater chain announced its closure at the start of March. The chain operated locations in Arvada, Littleton and in Denver on East Hampden Avenue.
There is no word on the future of the other two locations. Sonora Cinemas set its sights only on the Arvada location.
"Elvis Cinemas has closed for good," Elvis Cinemas said in a statement. "Thanks to everyone who was a part or was a patron for the last 23 years. We will miss all of you."
While Elvis Cinemas had screened discounted second-run movies in the past, the company had switched to first-run films in recent years. Right before its closure, the chain was showing Hollywood hits including "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," "80 For Brady," and "Knock at the Cabin."
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