Can the Regal McCain Mall Survive?

Another Cineworld theater may fall prey to bankruptcy

Photo credit: Universal Pictures

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Time appears to be running out for another theater in Central Arkansas that falls within the purview of the Regal Cinemas theater chain. However, this report is based solely on court Document 759 (pictured in part below), which was filed in TXSB on Monday, November 7 of last year, and the Regal McCain Mall has not confirmed its theater's closing.

The legal document indicates the Regal McCain Mall's lease agreement is scheduled to be "rejected" on Sunday, January 15. And Regal Cinema's parent company, Cineworld, has been ordered to expedite the bankruptcy ruling handed down to its company. Last week, a similar fate befell the Regal UA Breckenridge in Little Rock after its lease was terminated via the ruling (pictured in part below).

"We are not going to stick around forever," Judge Marvin Isgur said (via Deadline). "The debtors need to be aggressive. I am not sitting here for a year, or for six months, to figure out what shops are closing. That is a process that is going to happen now! I have been very patient in this case. I want to see more action in terms of what this future company is going to look like. We need to move on with life."

According to the Regal website, Thursday, January 12 is the final day customers can purchase tickets online for regular screenings and showtimes. Following the 12th, the six days from Friday, January 13 through Wednesday, January 18 are completely blacked out.

Patrons can only purchase "advanced" tickets to films and events not currently "in release" between January 19 and February 2. "Now Showing" selections like "M3GAN," "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "Avatar: The Way of Water" are all unavailable for purchase during that time period, even though they are all currently in theatrical release.

Beyond that, all dates through the end of 2023 are blacked out. There aren't any showtimes available on the Regal McCain Mall website after Groundhog Day with the exception of an "early access" screening of "Jesus Revolution" on Wednesday, February 22. The showtimes that remain on the website following Thursday, January 12 therefore appear to be an oversight, and moviegoers can expect the Regal McCain Mall's website selections to be completely blacked out after Thursday's final showtime.

UPDATE (1/12/2023)

Regal McCain Mall has updated their website to include all showtimes and dates previously blacked out from January 13 until January 18.