NYC will lose one of its few IMAX theaters when this popular AMC location shuts down later this year

New York moviegoers are about to have one fewer place to poetically disappear into a dark room with a giant bucket of popcorn

AMC Kips Bay 15, the East Side multiplex known for its large selection of movies and IMAX auditorium, will close by the end of 2026, AMC has confirmed. The 15-screen theater, located on Second Avenue near East 31st Street, is the chain’s second-largest multiplex in Manhattan—and its departure will leave a particularly big hole for movie fans on the East Side.

“We expect that AMC Kips Bay 15 will continue operating until the end of 2026, at which time the theatre will close following the property owner’s decision to exercise its contractual right to terminate the theatre’s lease before its scheduled expiration,” an AMC spokesperson told Variety.

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The theater first opened in 1999, with AMC taking over operations in 2006. Over the years, Kips Bay has developed a loyal following thanks in part to its 15 screens, which allow it to show a wider assortment of movies than many smaller Manhattan theaters. Its IMAX auditorium is another major draw—and its loss further shrinks the city’s already limited selection of IMAX options. (For serious format obsessives, AMC Lincoln Square 13 remains home to New York’s enormous 70mm-capable IMAX screen.)

Kips Bay has also long offered a relatively civilized alternative to schlepping into Midtown for a blockbuster at AMC Empire 25 near Times Square or AMC 34th Street 14 near Madison Square Garden. And the closure arrives after the East Side has already lost several cinemas in recent years, including City Cinemas 86th Street and the Beekman Theatre.

“Since its opening in 1999, the theatre has been an important part of the Kips Bay community and surrounding neighborhoods, providing guests with a place to enjoy the magic of the movies together,” AMC said in its statement. “We are immensely grateful to our guests for their loyalty and support throughout the years.”

A precise closing date hasn’t been announced yet, with AMC saying details are still being finalized and more information will come in the months ahead.

For now, though, the theater is expected to keep screening movies through the end of 2026. Consider this your excuse to squeeze in a few more trips to Kips Bay and perhaps finally treat yourself to that absurdly large popcorn.