Odeon, part of US cinema chain AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:AMC), has stepped up the expansion of its upmarket brand Luxe in the UK to cash in on a string of blockbuster releases in the second half of 2024.
Luxe venues containing reclining seats and VIP beds will open in Peterborough, Norwich and Uxbridge.
Peterborough is a new eight-screen venue while Norwich and Uxbridge are refurbishments to existing cinema sites.
Odeon, which has about 280 cinemas across Europe, did not specify how much it was spending on the upgrades and openings.
Suzie Welch, Odeon’s UK managing director, said: “We are delighted to have made a series of investments into expanding and upgrading our cinema estate and can’t wait to welcome guests to discover our best-in-class experience.
“These refurbishments reflect our long-term commitment to building our reputation as a trusted and valued tenant of choice for our landlords as well as our relentless focus on making movies better by driving innovation in the big-screen experience.”
Cinema owners have been encouraged by the success this year of Disney’s Inside Out 2, which has become the most popular animated film since the pandemic.
Other potentially huge releases scheduled for later this year include Gladiator II, Deadpool & Wolverine and Joker: Folie à Deux.