CJ CGV shutters LA theater, exiting US market after 15 years

Movie theater chain says closing of US operations marks strategic shift to premium formats

Screenshot of CJ CGV's official US website (CJ CGV)

CJ CGV, the movie theater chain under Korean conglomerate CJ, has officially exited the US market following the closure of its Los Angeles theater.

According to the company’s official US website, CGV's LA location shuttered operations on Sunday.

CJ CGV told The Korea Herald on Wednesday that the decision stemmed from both financial pressures and a wider pivot in its global strategy.

“Our global strategy is shifting toward expanding ScreenX and 4DX theaters, which have grown increasingly popular. While it’s true that operating CGV LA presented financial challenges, we ultimately decided to close the location after redefining the direction of our global strategy,” a CJ CGV spokesperson said.

ScreenX auditoriums project films across three walls -- the front, left and right -- and in some cases even the ceiling, while 4DX theaters incorporate motion seats and environmental effects such as wind and scents timed to onscreen action. These premium formats are currently available through US exhibition partners.

CJ CGV entered the US market in 2010 with the opening of its LA theater, followed by theaters in Buena Park in 2017 and San Francisco in 2021. The company wound down its San Francisco operations in 2023 and closed the Buena Park theater in March.

Meanwhile, CJ 4D Plex -- a CJ CGV subsidiary that manages its premium formats -- has been gaining ground in North America. The division posted record-breaking revenues in the first half of 2025, generating $55 million from 4DX and ScreenX screens across the region, a 47 percent increase year-on-year.

CJ 4D Plex currently oversees 1,211 premium-format theaters worldwide, spanning 74 countries with 4DX and ScreenX auditoriums.