Century Theatres

Century Theatres

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Movie theaters
Founded	1941 (1941) in Vallejo, California, United States
Founder	Raymond W. Syufy
Fate	Acquired by Cinemark Theatres in 2006
Headquarters	San Rafael, California , United States
Area served	California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona
Owner	Cinemark Theatres

Century Theatres is a chain of multiplex cinemas predominantly operating throughout California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Historically, the company expanded into the intermountain region, the Pacific Northwest, Texas, Alaska, and segments of the Midwest. Established in 1941 by entrepreneur Raymond W. Syufy in Vallejo, California, its headquarters were based in San Rafael until the company's 2006 acquisition by Cinemark Theatres. Many locations continue to function under the Century brand as a division of Cinemark.

History

Initially known as Syufy Enterprises after its founder Raymond Syufy Sr., the chain launched its inaugural Century theater—the Century 21—in San Jose on November 24, 1964. This venue was specifically designed to present Cinerama films and featured a unique domed structure alongside contemporary lobby amenities, projecting a forward-thinking brand identity aligned with its market positioning. The opening film was It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, shown in 70mm format.

The Century name was adopted in the early 1990s as part of a deliberate rebranding effort to increase market presence. Over time, Century Theatres engaged in legal disputes with competitor AMC Theatres regarding alleged anti-competitive conduct; however, these conflicts diminished by the late 1990s.

In August 2006, Cinemark finalized its acquisition of Century Theatres through a transaction involving cash and stock arranged by Cinemark’s parent corporation. The deal concluded on October 5, 2006, except for the Century 24 location which reverted to Syufy Enterprises ownership. Plans to redevelop Century 21–24 were unveiled in 2013. Importantly, drive-in theaters and swap meets remained under Syufy control as "West Wind Drive-Ins and Public Markets."

Century 24 was closed and demolished in January 2014. By March that year, leases for Century 21–23 expired and were not renewed; these theaters ceased operations amidst efforts to preserve Century 21’s architectural heritage. It was designated a City Historic Landmark and listed on the California Register of Historical Resources. While Century 22 and 23 were demolished in 2019 to make way for parking facilities, the former site of Century 24 remains vacant.

2012 shooting

On July 20, 2012, during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises at the Century 16 theater in Aurora, Colorado, gunman James Eagan Holmes opened fire inside Theater 9, resulting in 12 fatalities and injuring 70 others. Cinemark organized a memorial event at the renovated theater on January 17, 2013, inviting officials and families of victims followed by complimentary movie showings. The venue reopened permanently on January 25. Theater 9 has since been converted into Cinemark XD Theatre I, with auditoriums now identified by letters rather than numbers.

Cinemark XD

In 2009, Cinemark introduced XD (Extreme Digital Cinema) as an alternative to IMAX technology. The first XD auditorium debuted at the Century Theatre in San Francisco. Unlike IMAX, XD supports any film and aspect ratio without requiring specialized formatting, allowing greater programming flexibility. Currently, Cinemark operates 168 XD auditoriums worldwide, with over one-quarter located in California. XD auditoriums feature expansive screens measuring up to 38′ × 70′ accompanied by advanced audio systems and digital projection capable of displaying both 2D and 3D content.

Shortly after launching XD, IMAX filed legal action against Cinemark alleging misappropriation of trade secrets related to this technology. As of May 2023, Pacific Theatres in Los Angeles has also licensed XD technology.

In May 2018, Cinemark announced plans to equip over 200 XD auditoriums across the United States and Latin America with THX-certified sound systems aimed at elevating audiovisual performance. THX certification enforces rigorous standards for auditorium design and equipment tuning with annual recertification required to maintain quality compliance.