Hollywood's Historic Egyptian Theater Has Just Been Restored And Reopened By Netflix
By Natasha Kayes|Published December 06, 2023
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Natasha Kayes
Author
I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
Hollywood is widely known as the movie capital of the world – a place with a rich history of glitz and glamour, celebrities, studios, and stunning theaters. One such theater is a beloved piece of LA history that has recently been restored and reopened by the ever-growing entity, Netflix. If you ever wanted to see Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood – in all of its historical glory – now is your chance.
Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre (nowadays referred to simply as The Egyptian) is a historic and lavish movie palace in the heart of Hollywood, originally opened in 1922.
The Egyptian was built by American showman Sidney Grauman who also built its sister theater, Hollywood’s famous Mann’s Chinese Theatre (now TCL Chinese Theater).
This stunning theater, with its stately columns and Egyptian hieroglyphs and paintings that grace the walls inside and out, has been through a lot over its lifetime. It was closed in 1992, then suffered extensive damage during the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
Following a massive $12.8 million renovation, the theater once again opened its doors to the public in December 1998. While part of the structure had been restored to its original appearance, the interior was rebuilt into two auditoriums rather than one and many features - sound, projection, seating, etc. - were brought up to modern standards.
In May 2020, Netflix announced that it was going to purchase The Egyptian and once again renovate the historic building. The project took some three years and a reported $70 million to complete.
Netflix restored the grand Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre to its original appearance, removing non-original elements from the earlier renovation and restoring everything from the neon sign over Hollywood Boulevard to the original artwork, as well as the lobby and interior of the auditorium.
Finally, in November 2023, the beloved Hollywood icon opened again with a screening of the Netflix film, “The Killer,” and the release of a short film entitled, “Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre.”
Have you every been to Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre? Tell us what you think of this historic Los Angeles icon. Keep up with events and screenings at The Egyptian Theatre on Facebook. If you love Hollywood history, architecture, movie theaters, or all of the above, check out this cool tour of Hollywood with an LA filmmaker that explores the best of Hollywood’s historic sites and theaters!
