Cobb Theatres

Cobb Theatres

Company type	Private
Industry	Movie theaters
Founded	1924 in Fayette, Alabama, United States
Founder	Jefferson A. Richards
Fate	Acquired by Regal Cinemas in 1997; later acquired by Cinemex in 2017
Headquarters	Birmingham, Alabama , United States
Area served	Southern United States, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado
Key people	Robert M. Cobb (CEO from 1995)
Products	Movie theater exhibition
Parent	Cinemex (from 2017)

Cobb Theatres was a U.S.-based cinema chain headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Established in 1924 in Fayette, Alabama, the company expanded its presence across the Southern United States beginning in the late 1940s. During the 1990s, it grew by acquiring General Cinema's theatres in West Central Florida and Wometco Theatres, before being purchased by Regal Cinemas in 1997. The brand was later relaunched in 2001. At its peak, Cobb operated 25 venues, predominantly located in Florida, with additional locations in Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Virginia.

History

The origins of Cobb Theatres trace back to 1924 when Jefferson A. Richards opened his family's inaugural movie theatre in Fayette, Alabama. In 1934, Lucille Richards Cobb acquired this theatre. By 1947, Rowland C. Cobb took ownership of Lucille’s two cinemas and initiated an expansion of both indoor and drive-in theatres throughout northern Alabama.

Significant milestones included the opening of the Thunderbird Drive-In in Atlanta in 1963, launching the nation’s first four-plex theatre in 1971, debuting Cinema City 8 at Birmingham’s Roebuck Shopping Center in 1978, and inaugurating Sawgrass 18 in 1991. By 1965, Cobb managed 27 theatres and further expanded by purchasing eight theatres in Birmingham in 1966, relocating corporate headquarters to that city.

The company extended its reach into South Florida by acquiring General Cinema's West Central Florida venues in 1992 and Wometco Theatres in 1994. This expansion led to the establishment of Cobb Theatres II, which encompassed a total of 315 screens. Robert M. Cobb assumed the role of CEO on December 1, 1995. In June 1997, Regal Cinemas announced its intention to acquire Cobb Theatres—then operating 67 locations with 643 screens—for $200 million plus $100 million in debt; the transaction was finalized on July 31.

Robert M. Cobb reentered the cinema industry by founding Cobb Theatres III in 2000. The company launched Dolphin 19 in Miami during 2001, drawing approximately 1.4 million patrons. By 2006, Cobb operated 11 theatres featuring a total of 166 screens. In 2008, it introduced CinéBistro, an upscale dining and movie experience that expanded into Miami and Tampa markets. By 2011, the chain had grown to encompass 21 theatres with a combined total of 253 screens across Colorado, Virginia, and Georgia.

In October 2017, Cobb Theatres was acquired by Mexican cinema operator Cinemex, integrating into its U.S. division known as CMX Cinemas.

On April 25, 2020, CMX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic; it subsequently closed ten underperforming locations due to disputes involving landlords and studios. After six months of negotiations, CMX emerged from bankruptcy protection in December following agreements with landlords to adopt revenue-sharing lease arrangements.

CMX Cinemas filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy once again on July 1, 2025, reporting assets valued between $100,000 and $500,000 and liabilities below $50,000. The company is currently considering options including asset sales or shutting down remaining operations.

See also

• Death of Chad Oulson