Kinepolis
Kinepolis is a Belgian cinema exhibition group operating multiplexes and related cinema businesses across Europe and North America.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Kinepolis is a Belgian cinema exhibition brand and the operating name of Kinepolis Group, an international cinema company formed in 1997 through the merger of the Bert and Claeys family cinema businesses. The group developed from a set of Belgian cinemas into a large-scale operator with locations in Europe and North America. The reference material describes Kinepolis as operating 110 theaters and as Europe’s third-largest cinema chain. The company’s roots reach back to Albert Bert’s entry into the film industry in 1970. In 1981, Bert and his family built Decascoops in Ghent, a 12-screen cinema. The family also operated Pentascoop in Kortrijk and Trioscoop in Hasselt. The Claeys family, connected through Marie-Suzanne Bert’s sister Rose Claeys, operated cinemas including Trioscoop, Trosgenk in Genk, and three Liège venues: Les Operas, the Palace, and the Concorde. These family businesses formed the foundation for the later group. Kinepolis became associated with the megaplex model. On 29 September 1988, the Bert family opened Kinepolis Brussels. When completed, the complex had 25 screens and 7,600 seats and was described as the first megaplex cinema in the world. The group later expanded the concept internationally. On 17 September 1998, Kinepolis Madrid Ciudad de la Imagen opened with 25 screens and 9,200 seats, making it one of the largest cinema complexes of its time. The 1997 merger created the Kinepolis Group, while the company’s stock-market listing followed in 1998. The merger was approved by the Belgian competition authority subject to a restriction preventing the company from expanding within Belgium without explicit permission. This constraint influenced Kinepolis’s acquisition strategy, including the resale of the Utopolis cinemas acquired in 2015. After repeated attempts to remove the restriction, the company succeeded in 2020; from August 2021, it no longer needed prior permission to open new Belgian locations. Ownership and management changed during the 2000s. In 2006, the Claeys family withdrew from the venture, selling most of its 25 percent shareholding and transferring day-to-day management to Joost Bert. From 2008, Joost Bert shared the chief executive position with Eddy Duquenne, according to the supplied reference material. The group subsequently pursued international growth through both new openings and acquisitions. Important expansion steps included the acquisition of Wolff Bioscopen in 2014, Utopolis in 2015, Canadian cinema chain Landmark Cinemas in 2017, and U.S. chain MJR Cinemas in 2019. The group also acquired Brightfish in 2011, adding a Belgian company specializing in cinema advertising. The supplied reference material further identifies the 2025 acquisition of Emagine Entertainment as a significant expansion in the United States. Kinepolis’s activities extend beyond ticket sales. Its seven identified core businesses are box office, in-theater sales, business-to-business services, film distribution, screen advertising, real estate, and digital cinema services. This structure gives the group several revenue and operating functions around the cinema visit, including concessions, advertising, corporate events, distribution, property management, and cinema technology services. Kinepolis therefore operates not only as a network of theaters but also as a broader cinema-services group. The brand’s defining positioning is large-format, high-capacity cinema exhibition combined with geographic expansion and a diversified operating model.
History
Kinepolis developed from two Belgian family cinema businesses associated with the Bert and Claeys families. Albert Bert entered the film industry in 1970 and, in 1981, established Decascoops in Ghent, a 12-screen cinema operated with his wife Marie-Suzanne and their four sons. The Bert family also owned Pentascoop in Kortrijk and Trioscoop in Hasselt. The Claeys family operated Trioscoop, Trosgenk in Genk, and three cinemas in Liège: Les Operas, the Palace, and the Concorde. The group’s later identity was shaped by the megaplex concept. On 29 September 1988, Albert Bert opened Kinepolis Brussels. The completed site contained 25 screens and 7,600 seats and was regarded as the first megaplex cinema in the world. Kinepolis subsequently applied the large-scale model outside Belgium. Kinepolis Madrid Ciudad de la Imagen opened on 17 September 1998 with 25 screens and seating for 9,200 people. The Kinepolis Group was created in 1997 through the merger of the Bert and Claeys cinema groups. The Belgian competition authority approved the transaction with a condition restricting domestic expansion unless the authority gave explicit consent. Kinepolis became publicly listed in 1998. The regulatory condition shaped the company’s Belgian growth for more than two decades and contributed to the resale of Utopolis cinemas after their 2015 acquisition. In 2020, the company succeeded in having the restriction lifted, and from August 2021 it no longer needed prior permission to establish new Belgian locations. In 2006, the Claeys family withdrew from the venture, selling most of its 25 percent shareholding. Daily management was transferred to Joost Bert. According to the supplied reference material, Bert shared the chief executive role with Eddy Duquenne from 2008. The company then pursued a combination of organic development and acquisitions. It acquired Brightfish in 2011, adding specialist cinema-advertising capabilities, followed by Wolff Bioscopen in 2014, Utopolis in 2015, Landmark Cinemas in Canada in 2017, and MJR Cinemas in the United States in 2019. The reference material also lists Emagine Entertainment in 2025. Kinepolis is organized around seven core activities: box office, in-theater sales, business-to-business services, film distribution, screen advertising, real estate, and digital cinema services. This means the group’s business extends beyond admission revenue to concessions, advertising inventory, corporate and event services, film-related activities, property, and cinema technology. Its operating footprint spans Belgium, several European markets, Canada, and the United States. The brand remains associated with large multiplexes and international scale, while the group’s acquisitions have broadened its geographic reach and operating capabilities.
- 2025
Emagine Entertainment is acquired
[1]The supplied reference material identifies Emagine Entertainment as a later U.S. acquisition by Kinepolis.
- 2021
Unrestricted Belgian expansion begins
[1]From August, Kinepolis no longer needed explicit permission to open new cinemas in Belgium.
- 2020
Belgian expansion restriction is lifted
[1]The company succeeded in having the competition-related restriction on Belgian expansion removed.
- 2019
MJR Cinemas is acquired
[1]Kinepolis expanded in the United States through the acquisition of MJR Cinemas.
- 2017
Landmark Cinemas is acquired
[1]The acquisition established Kinepolis’s presence in Canada.
- 2015
Utopolis is acquired
[1]Kinepolis acquired Utopolis, but later resold the acquired cinemas in response to the Belgian competition restriction.
- 2014
Wolff Bioscopen is acquired
[1]The group expanded its cinema network through the acquisition of Wolff Bioscopen.
- 2011
Brightfish is acquired
[1]Kinepolis acquired Brightfish, a Belgian company specializing in cinema advertising.
- 1998
Madrid Ciudad de la Imagen opens and Kinepolis lists
[1]Kinepolis Madrid Ciudad de la Imagen opened with 25 screens and 9,200 seats, while the group became publicly listed.
- 1997
Kinepolis Group is created
[1]The Bert and Claeys family cinema groups merged to form Kinepolis Group.
Products and positioning
A large-scale, international multiplex cinema operator built around the megaplex model, complemented by advertising, concessions, corporate services, distribution, property, and digital cinema activities.
Cinema exhibition · 1988
Kinepolis multiplex cinemas
The core Kinepolis offering is theatrical film exhibition through a network of multiplex cinemas. The brand is historically associated with large, high-capacity sites, beginning with Kinepolis Brussels and extending internationally through locations in Europe and North America. The supplied reference describes the group as operating 110 theaters.
Cinema services · 1997
Box office
Box-office operations cover the sale of admission to theatrical screenings across the Kinepolis network. This is one of the group’s seven identified core businesses and represents the primary customer-facing cinema activity.
Food and beverage · 1997
In-theater sales
In-theater sales, abbreviated in the reference material as ITS, cover food, beverage, and other purchases made during the cinema visit. The activity complements ticketing and forms a separate core business within the group.
B2B services · 1997
Business-to-business cinema services
The B2B business serves corporate and professional customers through cinema-related services and venue capabilities. The supplied reference identifies business-to-business activity as one of Kinepolis Group’s seven core businesses.
Film distribution · 1997
Film distribution
Film distribution is a separate group activity alongside cinema exhibition. The available reference does not specify the titles, territories, or commercial structure of Kinepolis’s distribution operations.
Cinema technology · 1997
Digital cinema services
Digital cinema services form part of the group’s operating portfolio and relate to the technical delivery or support of cinema presentation. The available reference does not provide further product-level detail.
Brand decisions
2025
Acquire Emagine EntertainmentM&ABackground
Kinepolis continued its North American expansion through acquisitions of cinema operators.
Action taken
The supplied reference material identifies Emagine Entertainment as a 2025 acquisition.
2020
Secure removal of the Belgian expansion restrictionStrategyBackground
The 1997 merger approval had prevented Kinepolis from expanding within Belgium without explicit competition-authority consent.
Action taken
After several attempts, Kinepolis succeeded in having the restriction lifted.
Aftermath
From August 2021, the group no longer needed prior permission to open new Belgian locations.
2015
Acquire UtopolisM&ABackground
Kinepolis pursued network growth through acquisitions, but remained subject to a Belgian competition condition restricting domestic expansion.
Action taken
The group acquired Utopolis cinemas and subsequently resold the acquired cinemas because of the regulatory restriction.
Aftermath
The episode illustrated how the Belgian competition condition constrained Kinepolis’s domestic acquisition strategy until the restriction was lifted.
1997
Merge the Bert and Claeys cinema groupsM&ABackground
The two Belgian family cinema businesses controlled complementary cinema assets and formed the basis for a larger operator.
Action taken
They merged to create Kinepolis Group.
Aftermath
The transaction created the corporate group that later expanded across Europe and North America.
Recent events
Kinepolis completes acquisition of 13 Showcase Cinemas locations in the United States[2]
Reported:
Kinepolis Group has completed its acquisition of 13 Showcase Cinemas locations in the United States — seven in Massachusetts, five in New York state, one in Rhode Island and one in Ohio. The transaction closed on September 11, 2026, and Kinepolis will continue to operate the cinemas under the Showcase Cinemas name while investing in the moviegoing experience and exploring further growth opportunities.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/kinepolis · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled