Screens Fall Dark As Howard County Movie Theater Closes Its Doors Forever

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Two movie theaters in Maryland are folding as part of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings by Cineworld, which owns Regal Cinemas. As the second-largest theater chain after AMC Theaters, there are 950 locations in the U.S.

Regal UA Snowden Square in Columbia will close July 26. Regal Bel Air closed July 20.

Regal Theaters in Bowie closed earlier this year. The Rockville theater has been listed on the company's chopping block but it's currently still open. There are additional theaters open in Laurel, Gambrills and Hunt Valley.

A previous round of closures in September 2022 shuttered 12 locations with additional closures following.

When Cineworld announced its decision to file for bankruptcy last year, the company said it wanted to shed debt. It expects filing for bankruptcy will “strengthen its balance sheet and provide the financial strength and flexibility to accelerate, and capitalize on, Cineworld’s strategy in the cinema industry,” CNN reported.