The historic River Oaks Theatre, a Houston landmark since 1939, will officially reopen on Thursday, October 3, 2024. Culinary Khancepts, an affiliate of locally owned Star Cinema Grill, acquired the theater in 2022 and will present the reopening. 

The newly renovated River Oaks Theatre will feature a diverse lineup of independent, arthouse, and classic films, along with live performances and popular blockbusters. The grand opening on October 3 will kick off with “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the highly anticipated sequel to the Academy Award-winning film. Other notable events include a 50th-anniversary screening of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” “Rocky Horror Picture Show” screenings with live shadowcast performances, and a preview of “The Herricanes,” a documentary about Houston’s all-female football team, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Tickets are now available online, and the full schedule can be found on the theater's website.

“This project holds a special place in our hearts,” said Omar Khan, President and CEO of Culinary Khancepts. “As the only Houston-owned and operated cinema chain, and with a deep connection to the city, we were uniquely positioned to preserve this historic theatre. We are incredibly proud and grateful to have played a role in saving such a cherished venue. It would have been unthinkable for Houston to lose this beloved art house.”

In addition to the film lineup, River Oaks Theatre offers Houstonians a chance to be part of its history with the Name-A-Seat program, allowing patrons to personalize a plaque on a chair, with contributions supporting the theater’s restoration. A new Cinema Savant membership program will also launch this fall, giving movie lovers access to unlimited film screenings for a monthly fee.

Tickets for all films and events, starting at $11, including the grand opening of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” are available now. The first 800 guests on October 3 will receive an exclusive grand opening keepsake: a custom gold coin, inspired by a tradition from the early 1900s when movie theaters gave the first patron a gift of gold, believed to bring good fortune to the theater’s reopening.