World West Theatres

50sSNIPES on April 26, 2026 at 5:03 am

Once operated by Theater Operators Inc. before it was taken over by Essaness Theaters on May 13, 1988. Essaness later renamed their chain Excellence Theatres that same year. Carmike took it over in 1991.

Joe Vogel on May 24, 2018 at 8:44 pm

According to the Dec 12, 2016, issue of the Billings Gazette, the former World West Theatres, located at 2520 Central Avenue (just off Stewart Park Road, at the northwest corner of the Rimrock Mall property), was being demolished. The building is still visible in Google’s satellite and street views, which have not yet been updated, and I’ve set street view to the proper location.

The Gazette says the house was operated by the same company that had the Rimrock 4 (later 5) inside the mall. That was a Theatre Operators, Inc. house, a chain that was later taken over by Carmike, so Carmike must have gotten the twin as well.

The World West was most likely named in tribute to Theatre Operators' World Theatre in downtown Billings, closed and demolished for a parking lot the year before the twin was opened.