South Coast Village Cinemas

Kyle Muldrow on July 20, 2026 at 3:41 pm

Wow! First post in quite a while for me, but had to say something about South Coast Village.

It was heartbreaking to see this theater finally shut down in 2025. It had been the favorite theater for my wife and I for over 10 years. After declining under United Artists and Edwards/Regal, it was rescued by Regency Theaters, who not only rehabbed it, but added a Classic Movie Night every Wednesday night. When my wife and I lived in Costa Mesa right after getting married, I took her here to see Casablanca, which she had never seen. It was very special to take my late father, who we were caring for at the time, to this theater to see classic movies he loved like Singing In The Rain and Double Indemnity (which starred Edward G. Robinson, one of my Dad’s favorite actors). My wife and I also saw other movies here on “Date Nights” after having dinner someplace near South Coast Plaza. They also had the best popcorn of any movie theater in Orange County, popped fresh every night.

Yes, it was just a simple 1970s era 3-plex, but I loved that place. It reminded me of movie theaters I went to while growing up in the 70s and 80s. It had nostalgia and ambiance, especially during the Classic Movie Night on Wednesday.

RIP, South Coast Village. You will never be forgotten, dear friend.

Flix70 on June 19, 2022 at 9:12 am

Arthur Hiller’s 1982 comedy “Author! Author!” starring Al Pacino, Dyan Cannon & Tuesday Weld opened at the Village (then the UA 1-2-3) 40 years ago this weekend (June 18, 1982).

Flix70 on December 27, 2021 at 12:02 pm

Hard to believe the South Coast Village Cinemas turned 50 on Dec. 22.

How this little three-screen theater in the heart of the toney, Segerstrom-controlled South Coast Metro area survived five decades while all of its nearby contemporaries (SCP III, the Town Center & Bristol IV) fell under the wrecking ball decades ago is anyone’s guess.

I want to say it & the Big Newport are now the longest-operating theaters in Orange County.

Kudos to UA, Edwards (then Regal) & Regency for keeping things going amid the multiplex craze, DVD/streaming era & a global pandemic.

Long live the Village.

Flix70 on June 18, 2018 at 10:00 am

With the 40th anniversary of “Grease” over the weekend, I was reminded by an old newspaper ad that this is where I saw the film as a seven-year-old opening weekend back in 1978. According to the ad, the film showed on two of the three screens, probably for the rest of the summer, if not the year.

CTCrouch on October 23, 2007 at 4:52 pm

I’ve been told some of the upstairs support areas still have UA logo carpeting (30+ year old carpet).

CTCrouch on May 27, 2007 at 8:32 am

Opened in 1972 as a first run theatre, converted to art/independent/revival in the 80’s. Formerly an Edwards Theatre, later as part of Regal Entertainment Group, the property is located directly across the street from South Coast Plaza (facing Nordstroms). The theatre was allowed to fall in to disrepair, under REG, and closed in January 2007. Regency Theatres picked up the lease, remodeled, and reopened the theatre in March 2007.

The theatre has a no frills, purely functional, layout. A large auditorium (formely 500+ seats, but slightly less after the remodel) on one side, two smaller auditoriums on the other. The small lobby is divided by a peninsula style concession stand, that doubles as the venue’s box office. Following the remodel, lounge furniture was added to the lobby.