Theater Chain Now Looking At Closing Locations– Will Minnesota Be Affected?

Grab the popcorn while you still can, as the AMC Theatres chain has indicated it could close multiple locations of its screens nationwide. The news has left Minnesota film fans wondering if their favorite local screens are about to fade to black.

As home streaming becomes increasingly popular, the movie theater business is one that has faced its share of challenges. But there are still a lot of movie theaters in business here in Minnesota.  In fact, according to Poidata, there are 167 movie theaters currently operating in the Bold North.

Is Your Local Cinema Safe? AMC Theatres Announces Possible New National Closures

The news that movie theaters are closing isn't really all that surprising to many of us here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. It's been something we've seen several instances of within the last few years.

It was just last year that the CMX chains closed several locations in Minnesota, with the CMX Odyssey IMAX in Burnsville and CMX Chateau 14 in Rochester both having shut their doors permanently in 2025.

And in a corporate earnings call earlier this week, the AMC Theatres chain says it's getting ready to possibly close more of its screens across the country as well.

A Look at AMC's Current Footprint in Minnesota for 2026

As of February 2026, AMC Theatres has around 850 locations across the U.S. and currently operates six different locations in Minnesota:

• AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18
• AMC Rosedale 14
• AMC Southdale 16
• AMC Classic Mounds View 15
• AMC Coon Rapids 16
• AMC Inver Grove Heights 16

But will they all still stay open? According to this Patch story, AMC Theatres has already closed over 210 of its locations over the past five years, and could now close just under 100 locations as those various leases come up for renewal.

 Leases at around 85 locations are up for renewal this year. Executives will analyze those locations to determine whether it makes the most financial sense to renew them or walk away and shutter any given location.

The Future of Minnesota Movie Theaters: Closures vs. New Openings

Here's the thing, though: AMC did not divulge just *where* these locations are, and if they are going to close permanently, when those screens might go dark. However, it's not been all doom and gloom when it comes to movie theaters in Minnesota.

Emagine Entertainment opened the largest IMAX screen in the North Star State at its Emagine Lakeville location back in December, and screened the release of the latest James Cameron movie, Avatar: Fire and Ash, which was its first feature.

And while they may seem to be more prevalent recently, business closings aren't a new phenomenon. Keep scrolling to check out 50 beloved retail chains that also closed their doors and aren't around anymore.