Cathay Cineplexes Goes Dark: The Final Curtain and Closure of a Cinema Legacy
- circular connection
- 11 hours ago
- 2 min read
A cinematic legacy that began with architectural grandeur is fading to black. This is a quick recount of how Singapore’s iconic Cathay Cineplexes met its final curtain.
Image: Facebook/Cathay Cineplexes
A Storied Beginning
The journey began in 1939 when Cathay Cinema, nestled in the majestic Cathay Building at Handy Road, opened as Singapore’s first air‑conditioned theatre. Its debut screening was The Four Feathers, and the cinema featured elegant touches such as a women’s lounge and spacious bar.
By the 1970s, the chain had expanded across Singapore and Malaysia, even operating the unique Jurong Drive‑In—a remarkable open-air cinema with capacity for 900 cars and 300 walk‑ins .
The Rise and Expansion
After a wartime hiatus, Cathay Television soared again. It grew into a regional powerhouse, operating numerous screens. In 2017, mm2 Asia acquired Cathay Cineplexes, taking over its Singapore cinema operations.
Downsizing amid Digital Disruption
Image: Facebook/Cathay Cineplexes
The COVID‑19 pandemic delivered a heavy blow, with prolonged closures and reduced capacity hurting operations. Attempts to divest the business faltered amid Omicron-related uncertainty.
Between 2022 and 2025, Cathay systematically shuttered key locations as part of a “right‑sizing” drive:
Jun 2022: Handy Road (The Cathay) closed after 83 years; the space went to The Projector as “Projector X: Picturehouse” until mid‑2023
Jun 2023: Cineleisure Orchard closed.
Aug 2023: Parkway Parade cineplex shut.
Jun 2024: Closure of AMK Hub following lease expiry
Nov 2024: Acquisition of WE Cinemas at Clementi 321
Early 2025: West Mall closed in February; Jem followed in March due to landlord seizure and S$4.3 million in arrears
Mounting Rental Arrears and Financial Heat
Financial pressures escalated sharply. In early 2025, Cathay received letters demanding S$2.7 million over rent and related costs at Century Square and Causeway Point. In March, its Jem outlet’s lease was terminated amid S$4.3 million in arrears . In July, another statutory demand landed—S$3.4 million owed for Jem rentals. Around the same time, fresh demands totaling over S$3.3 million targeted Century Square and Causeway Point outlets.
The Final Curtain - The Closure of Cathay Cineplexes
Image: Facebook/Cathay Cineplexes
On 1 September 2025, mm2 Asia announced that Cathay Cineplexes would enter voluntary liquidation, after failed negotiations with creditors and no viable restructuring path. The cinema chain was deemed no longer feasible to operate.
At that point, only four outlets remained—Causeway Point, Century Square, Clementi 321, and Downtown East—set to be shuttered as part of the winding‑up process.
Cathay Cineplexes was more than cinemas—it was woven into Singapore’s cultural fabric for generations. Its elegant facade, pioneering screenings, and reach into communities defined shared movie‑going memories. But with the surge of online streaming options, heavy rental burdens, and shrinking margins, the closure of Cathay Cineplexes became inevitable. It seems the lights have finally gone out on one of the nation's most iconic cinematic legacies.
