Copyright M Live Michigan
More than a dozen Emagine movie theaters will soon be owned by a European cinema group you probably never heard of. Is your local theater one of them? Troy, Michigan based Emagine Entertainment has agreed to a $105 million deal with Kinepolis out of Belgium. The acquisition is expected to be a done deal by year’s end. Emagine has 13 movie theaters in Michigan. The ones included in the deal are located in Birch Run, Canton, Hartland, Macomb, Novi, Saginaw, Saline, Rochester Hills, and Royal Oak. The two Birmingham locations, along with Woodhaven, and Farmington Hills are not part of the acquisition. Out of state Emagine theaters included in the deal are in Geneva, WI, Noblesville and Portage, IN, and Batavia and Frankfort, IL. All nine Minnesota theaters are not part of the acquisition as well as the one in Colorado. Those are run by third parties through licensing agreements. Kinepolis says it will operate its newly acquired Emagine theaters under the existing brand name. “The location and size of the cinemas make them a valuable addition to the Group’s portfolio, allowing us to expand our presence in the US market and strengthen our national structure,” said Eddy Duquenne, CEO of Kinepolis Group. Meantime, Paul Glantz of Emagine says he’s excited to see what the future holds after selling Emagine to Kinepolis. “Kinepolis has a reputation for operating exceptionally well-run cinemas both in Europe and in North America,” said Glantz, Chairman and CEO of Emagine. “Their commitment to providing guests with an unforgettable movie experience makes them the ideal suitor to continue the stewardship of Emagine into the future.” Kinepolis acquired Landmark Cinemas out of Canada in 2017 and MJR out in the U.S in 2019. It now owns and operates 109 cinemas worldwide with 10 of those in the U.S., 35 in Canada, and 64 in Belgium, The Neitherlands, France, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Poland.
