Hong Kong cinema operator Golden Harvest has exited the native theatrical market, ending its lengthy legacy as its few remaining retailers had been shut down over the weekend. A yet-to-be-named new operator will enter the market to take over a trio of their retailers.
Golden Harvest was established as a manufacturing firm in 1970 by co-founder Raymond Chow, who would turn out to be a legendary movie producer and introduce Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and plenty of extra Hong Kong stars and administrators reminiscent of Chow Yun Fats, Michelle Yeoh, John Woo and Tsui Hark to the worldwide markets.
The corporate opened its first cinema in Hong Kong in 1977 and launched the town’s first totally digital multiplex in 2009. It turned publicly listed in 1994 and the corporate identify was modified to Orange Sky Golden Harvest in 2009, after Chinese language businessman Wu Kebo turned the biggest shareholder.
Earlier this yr, the cinema chain closed down three retailers: GH Megabox, GH Whampoa and the enduring Grand Ocean Cinema situated in Tsim Sha Tsui that had been in operation for 56 years.
Its final 4 retailers had been shut down on Sunday June 29 – the sky in Olympian Metropolis 2, StagE in Tuen Mun City Plaza, GH Taipo and GH Galaxy in Shau Kei Wan.
“As our leases at these places come to a detailed on June 29, 2025, we can be concluding our cinema operations in Hong Kong thereafter,” the corporate mentioned in a press release, including {that a} new operator will take over the primary three cinemas below new possession.
Because the Hong Kong field workplace remains to be struggling to regain its footing post-Covid, this yr has seen 9 cinema closures by the midway mark, together with these from Golden Harvest and two from MCL (Newport Theatre and Grand Kornhill Cinema). Final yr, 9 cinemas had been shuttered whereas the general Hong Kong field workplace fell to its lowest in 13 years, all the way down to $172.7m (HK$1.34bn).
In Singapore, Orange Sky Golden Harvest continues to function 15 multiplexes and 119 screens by way of its subsidiary Golden Village, the nation’s largest theatrical exhibitor.
