Cinemagic Expected To Come Back Alive Again With Movie Magic

MERRIMACK, NH — A movie house chain is making plans to reopen theatres in northern New England, including two in New Hampshire.

Apple Cinemas, a movie theatre company with locations in Connecticut and Cambridge, Massachusetts, has agreed to take over theatres previously owned by Cinemagic, including the company’s movie houses in Hooksett and Merrimack, as well as locations in Westbrook and Saco, Maine, and Warwick, Rhode Island. An exact date of reopening is unknown but “help wanted” signs were placed at the location in Merrimack and press reports in both Maine and New Hampshire state the former Cinemagic locations will be reopening in the Granite State, soon.

Apple Cinemas owns seven theatres — in Cambridge, MA, as well as Barkhamsted, Hartford, Simsbury, and Waterbury, and has plans to expand to five more.

Cinemagic theatres have been dormant since February, after the Bedford real estate company that owned the chain, Zyacorp Entertainment, closed the theatres.

Other movie theatres, including Cineworld Group which owns Regal Cinemas, with locations in Concord, Hooksett, and Newington, reopened theatres after closing in October 2020. Red River Theatres in Concord, which was also been closed during the pandemic, has also reopened.

Chunky's, which has theatres in Manchester, Nashua, and Pelham, was open for business with COVID-19 safety protocols — including running at half capacity. Not only are the three theatres offering films, but they have also been booking comedy shows, too.

AMC In Londonderry, which has 10 screens, was open three days a week at 40 percent capacity. The company also experimented with private theatre rentals for $99 and up.

Cinemark, which opened its first northern New England location last year in Salem, also offers theatre rentals and movies on weekends.

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