Financial Advisors and Legal Teams
Kinepolis is being represented by Honigman LLP, led by partner Evan Leibhan, with EY and PwC acting as financial advisers on the transaction.
For its part, Michigan-based Emagine Entertainment draws approximately six million visitors annually and reported $129 million in revenue and $20.3 million in pre-tax profit before lease payments for the 12 months ending in September.
Riding the Post-Pandemic Rebound
The acquisition comes as the U.S. movie theater industry experiences a steady recovery from the pandemic’s impact. According to Ibis World’s 2025 report, box office revenues hit $9 billion in 2024, a 20% increase from 2023, though still $2 billion below pre-2020 levels.
North American theater chains—AMC Entertainment, Regal, and Cinemark among them—have collectively poured over $1.5 billion into auditorium upgrades over the past year, signaling renewed optimism in the big-screen experience.
Kinepolis Eyes Long-Term Growth
Headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, Kinepolis currently operates 108 cinemas worldwide, including 63 in Europe and 45 in North America. The company confirmed it will retain the Emagine brand for the acquired theaters, preserving their established market identity while integrating them into Kinepolis’ global operations.
Neither Kinepolis nor Emagine responded immediately to requests for comment, but the deal underscores Kinepolis’ determination to play a leading role in the cinematic resurgence—transforming what began as a European legacy into a transatlantic entertainment empire.
