Why Losing L.A.’s Landmark Pico Theater Will ‘Force Indie Studios to Get Creative’

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The art-house multiplex that was a key pillar of indie film releasing will close at the end of May, and there’s no clear replacement in Los Angeles

landmark pico
Courtesy of Landmark Theatres

Landmark Theatres’ announcement that it will be closing its 12-screen multiplex on Pico Boulevard has upended not just the Los Angeles art-house scene but the entire indie film industry as insiders and analysts have told TheWrap that distributors must now rethink their release strategies after losing one of their most dependable cinemas.

On Wednesday, Landmark Theatres announced that despite efforts to reach a new agreement, the landlords of the former Westside Pavilion decided not to continue their lease with the specialty chain and the Landmark Pico will shut its doors at the end of May.

The closure brings an end to what was once a bustling shopping and entertainment complex that is now being repurposed into a campus for Google.

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