'They took everything': Park Theatre loses 70mm projector but there's good news
The Park Theatre was apparently emptied out after it was announced that it was to be closed, and Cineplex took an essential piece with it.
We recently shared that the Cineplex-owned Park Theatre was going to close, only to learn later it would be saved from being shuttered forever, thanks to the Rio Theatre and some prominent members of the local and general film community.
One thing that the Park Theatre lost was its 70mm projector.
In the initial closure announcement, Cineplex told Daily Hive about the projector.
“It is worth noting that we will be removing the 70mm projector and installing it at another Cineplex location, which is yet to be confirmed,” Cineplex Communications Coordinator Alannah O’Farrell said.
In an Instagram post, Corinne Lea, owner of the Rio Theatre, wrote, “they took everything” from the projection room. She also revealed that they’ve sourced another 70mm projector to replace the one that was removed.
“Don’t worry, we found another 70mm projector and it’s on the way!”
In Lea’s Instagram post, she also revealed that the only thing left behind at the Park Theatre projection room was one last fragment of a 70mm film in which you can see the Bron Studios logo.
View this post on Instagram
Lea also said, “The room is completely bare, waiting for us to bring it back to life!”
35mm and 77mm film. (Maks__Mikh/Shutterstock)
Very few theatres actually have the capability to run 70mm film; the only two in Metro Vancouver are the Cineplex in Langley and Park Theatre when it reopens.
When it comes to film enthusiasts or cinephiles, the importance of a 70mm projector cannot be understated, especially when you consider filmmakers like Christopher Nolan with projects like his upcoming epic, The Odyssey.
Moviegoers were able to purchase tickets for 70mm versions of The Odyssey: The IMAX Experience® in 70MM Film through Cineplex a whole year ahead of its 2026 release, and the Langley shows sold out in virtually minutes.
We’ve contacted Rio Theatre for comment.