The Regal movie theater in Union Square is closing

This one hits close to home: parent company Cineworld just announced the closure of 39 Regal Cinemas locations all across the United States, including the uber-popular one in Union Square on 13th Street and Broadway.

Perhaps one of the most popular destinations of its kind in Manhattan, Union Square Stadium 14 opened back in November of 1998 and quickly became a favorite among the city’s cinephile crowd. With 17 total screens, the theater just recently underwent a major renovation in the early months of 2020. 

No word yet on when the complex will actually shutter.

According to Deadline, Cineworld filed for bankruptcy and a court judge just granted the company the "right to walk away from nearly 50 unexpired leases including at Union Square in New York City and Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles." 

Even more specifically, by filing for Chapter 11, the theater chain will be able to, hopefully, cut costs and "return to financial health."

The list of to-shutter locations does not include the Regal movie theater at Essex Crossing on the Lower East Side, on Delancey and Essex Streets.

New Yorkers took to Twitter to comment on the development, many of them expressing surprise at the news. 

Here is a collection of some of the reactions from the social media platform: