New Yorkers are bracing for the loss of AMC Kips Bay after the company announced that the theater would roll its final credits later this year.
First opened in 1999 and taken over by AMC in 2006, the theater has become a staple for locals as a place to watch the newest movies from 15 screens, including IMAX. But the company confirmed that the property owner is terminating the lease before its expiration, reports say.
As of now, no official closing date has been released. But New Yorkers flooded social media after news broke, mourning the theater before it officially shuts its doors.
"That’s the loss of a good IMAX screen and a lot of fantastic regular screens," one person wrote on X. "HUGE loss for moviegoers in NYC."
"We can not let AMC kips bay
fall. we would be losing a true friend and soldier. good showtimes. great selection of screenings," another wrote, while tagging Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
New York Assembly Member Keith Powers even chimed in on the closure, and said he would look into a solution for keeping the theater open.
This is a beloved movie theater in our community and personally, the one that I go to. A closure would be a big loss for Kips Bay and beyond.
— Keith Powers (@KeithPowersNYC) August 24, 2026
Talking with my colleagues to see what we can do to prevent this. https://t.co/CxbcpYf7C7
"This is a beloved movie theater in our community and personally, the one that I go to. A closure would be a big loss for Kips Bay and beyond," Powers wrote to X.
"Talking with my colleagues to see what we can do to prevent this."
With the closure of AMC Kips Bay, there will be eight AMC locations left in Manhattan.
“We expect that AMC Kips Bay 15 will continue operating until the end of 2026, at which time the theatre will close following the property owner’s decision to exercise its contractual right to terminate the theatre’s lease before its scheduled expiration,” a spokesperson for AMC told Variety.
“Since its opening in 1999, the theatre has been an important part of the Kips Bay community and surrounding neighborhoods, providing guests with a place to enjoy the magic of the movies together."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A Manhattan AMC is closing. Here's why New Yorkers are mourning
