Brooklyn Heights Movie Theater Court Street Regal Cinema Shutters

Roll the credits!

The Court Street Regal Cinema has permanently closed after more than two decades, leaving nostalgic Brooklynites devastated at the loss of the quasi-historic movie house.

Former Brooklyn Paper scribe Ben Verde, who described himself simply as a “devastated moviegoer,” shared on social media that he would “physically chain [himself] to the doors” of the defunct screening emporium to prevent its demise.

Others simply took the opportunity of the theater’s closing to share fond memories of seeing films at the time-honored location.

https://twitter.com/bfishbfish/status/1480655644248190986

Despite the outpouring of support, the Regal chain had shuttered the Downtown Brooklyn location at 106 Court Street, at the intersection of State, posting signage on the doors to alert neighbors about the closure Sunday.

Regal Cinemas did not respond to a request for comment. A 27,165 square foot space in the building is available for rent, marketed by Cushman and Wakefield. The building also holds a Barnes & Noble.

In 2014, another beloved Brooklyn Heights theater, the long-running Brooklyn Heights Cinema at 70 Henry Street, closed down when the landlord sold the building to a developer, who redeveloped it into condos.

Through the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, movie theaters have been struggling to attract customers, as viewers continue to fear the virus, and movie studios have either pushed back big box office releases, or opted to offer them on streaming services.

A commenter on the Cinema Treasures website named fred1 claimed AMC may be eyeing the lease. “I got a 2nd hand source through an industry insider that AMC will take over the lease,” he wrote.

Newly inaugurated Council Member Lincoln Restler, who represents Downtown Brooklyn, shared his thoughts on Twitter while commemorating his past experiences at the theater.

“Pour one out for Regal Cinemas / United Artists Court Street 12. The moving van has arrived. Today’s screenings will be the last,” he wrote. “It was a good 20+ year run since they opened back when I was in HS. For the shouting back at action movie experience — there was no place better!”

— Additional reporting by Cate Corcoran

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.

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