Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto is a 14-auditorium Cineplex multiplex in downtown Toronto and a prominent venue for the Toronto International Film Festival.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto is a major multiplex cinema located in the RioCan Hall complex at Richmond Street West and John Street in Toronto’s Entertainment District. The venue opened on May 19, 1999, as Paramount Theatre Toronto with the release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. It was developed as part of the approximately C$70 million RioCan Hall project, formerly known as Festival Hall, whose planning began in 1994. At opening, the theatre had 14 screens, approximately 4,500 seats, and Toronto’s first three-dimensional IMAX screen. The cinema became part of the Cineplex organization after Viacom sold Famous Players in 2005 to Cinema Galaxy Income Fund, the owner of Cineplex Galaxy Cinemas. Because the new company did not retain the rights to use the Paramount Pictures name, the venue and other Paramount-branded theatres were renamed Scotiabank Theatre in 2007. The new identity followed a broader partnership between Cineplex and Scotiabank that also supported the launch of the Scene loyalty program. Cineplex Entertainment is the venue’s current owner and operator. The theatre’s principal business is theatrical exhibition, with programming that includes mainstream Hollywood releases, Canadian films, independent titles, event screenings, and festival presentations. Its technical offer has expanded over time. The complex includes 14 auditoriums, one IMAX screen, six auditoriums equipped for 3D presentation, an UltraAVX auditorium with D-BOX motion seating, and a ScreenX auditorium. The original film-based IMAX 3D system was later replaced by IMAX with Laser projection; the installation was described as the first of its kind in Canada and one of the first two in North America. In December 2010, one auditorium was upgraded to Cineplex’s UltraAVX premium-large-format standard. A Barco Escape auditorium was added in July 2016, although the supplied reference material does not establish whether that format remains in operation today. Scotiabank Theatre Toronto has a significant festival role. It is one of the major downtown venues associated with the annual Toronto International Film Festival, alongside TIFF Bell Lightbox. The theatre has also hosted the Toronto After Dark Film Festival since that festival moved there in 2013. Toronto After Dark focuses on horror, science fiction, action, and cult cinema, giving the multiplex a role beyond conventional commercial releases. The venue has also been used for technology pilots. In November 2017, it became the first Canadian location in the IMAX VR pilot program, offering virtual-reality games and experiences through individual stations using HTC Vive or StarVR hardware. IMAX subsequently announced in December 2018 that it would discontinue the IMAX VR project and close its remaining locations in early 2019. Scotiabank Theatre Toronto occupies the third floor of RioCan Hall, with access by escalator and elevator, while its box office and street entrance are on Richmond Street West. The complex has included other retail and leisure tenants, and the theatre formerly featured large Star Trek-related spaceship displays near the entrance and escalator areas. Those displays were removed and disposed of in August 2018. In 2019, RioCan proposed redeveloping the property with a mixed-use project containing condominium towers, retail, office, and residential space, while retaining a theatre component. By 2024, the redevelopment had not proceeded, and Cineplex characterized any redevelopment discussions as long-term while stating that normal theatre operations continued.
History
Planning for the complex that became RioCan Hall began in 1994. The development, formerly called Festival Hall, was conceived as a large mixed-use entertainment and retail property in downtown Toronto’s Entertainment District. The cinema was developed as its principal film-exhibition component, with the theatre project forming part of an approximately C$70 million complex. Scotiabank Theatre Toronto opened on May 19, 1999, under the Paramount Theatre Toronto name. Its opening presentation was Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. The multiplex launched with 14 screens and approximately 4,500 seats, including Toronto’s first three-dimensional IMAX screen. Its scale and downtown location made it suitable both for commercial releases and major film-industry events. The ownership and branding context changed in 2005, when Viacom sold Famous Players to Cinema Galaxy Income Fund, which owned Cineplex Galaxy Cinemas. The resulting Cineplex Entertainment organization did not retain the rights needed to continue using the Paramount name. In 2007, the theatre was therefore rebranded Scotiabank Theatre Toronto as part of a Cineplex–Scotiabank partnership. The relationship also supported the Scene loyalty program, linking the theatre name to a wider customer-marketing platform. Cineplex progressively expanded the venue’s presentation capabilities. The original film-based IMAX 3D projector was eventually replaced by an IMAX with Laser system. The installation was identified in the supplied reference material as the first in Canada and one of only two in North America at the time. In December 2010, one auditorium received the UltraAVX premium-large-format treatment, and D-BOX motion seats were later added to that auditorium. In July 2016, another auditorium was converted to Barco Escape, a premium format that used a wider multi-screen presentation; Star Trek Beyond was the first film shown there, with part of the picture specially prepared for the format. The theatre’s cultural role grew through festival programming. The Toronto International Film Festival uses it as one of its major venues, complementing TIFF Bell Lightbox and other downtown locations. The Toronto After Dark Film Festival moved to the theatre in 2013. That festival’s focus on horror, science fiction, action, and cult films gives the venue a recurring specialty-cinema identity in addition to its mainstream schedule. In November 2017, Scotiabank Theatre Toronto became the first Canadian location for IMAX’s VR pilot. The installation provided individual stations where visitors could access virtual-reality games and experiences using HTC Vive or StarVR equipment. IMAX announced in December 2018 that the VR initiative would be discontinued and that remaining locations would close in early 2019. The theatre occupies the third floor of RioCan Hall. The complex has included retail, food-service, and entertainment tenants, including a former flagship Chapters bookstore and the former CiRCA nightclub. An earlier Playdium family entertainment centre also operated in the complex, and a smaller arcade associated with Playdium continued at the cinema under the Cinescape name according to the supplied reference. The theatre entrance and box office are on Richmond Street West, with auditorium access by escalator and elevator. Large Star Trek film displays that once decorated the entrance and escalator areas were removed and disposed of in August 2018. In April 2019, RioCan proposed replacing the property with a mixed-use development containing condominium towers and retail, office, and residential space. The proposal included a theatre component, but the redevelopment had not proceeded by 2024. Cineplex described any redevelopment discussions as long-term and indicated that the theatre continued normal operations. The venue remains an active Cineplex cinema with 14 auditoriums and a mix of standard, premium, immersive, and festival-oriented programming.
- 2019
RioCan submits redevelopment proposal
[1]RioCan proposed a mixed-use redevelopment of the property that would include a theatre component.
- 2017
Canadian IMAX VR pilot location opens
[1]The venue became the first Canadian site in IMAX’s virtual-reality pilot program.
- 2016
Barco Escape auditorium opens
[1]An auditorium was converted to the Barco Escape premium format in July, with Star Trek Beyond as its first presentation.
- 2013
Toronto After Dark Film Festival moves to the venue
[1]The theatre became a recurring host for the festival’s horror, science-fiction, action, and cult-film program.
- 2010
UltraAVX auditorium is added
[1]One screen was upgraded to Cineplex’s UltraAVX premium-large-format standard.
- 2007
Paramount branding is replaced
[1]The venue became Scotiabank Theatre Toronto after Cineplex no longer retained the rights to use the Paramount name.
- 2005
Famous Players is sold
[1]Viacom sold Famous Players to Cinema Galaxy Income Fund, a transaction that led to the Cineplex Entertainment structure.
- 1999
Paramount Theatre Toronto opens
[1]The 14-screen, approximately 4,500-seat multiplex opened on May 19 with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
- 1994
Planning begins for the Festival Hall complex
[1]Planning began for the downtown complex that would later be known as RioCan Hall and house the theatre.
Products and positioning
A centrally located, technology-forward multiplex that combines mainstream theatrical releases with premium presentation formats and a prominent role in Toronto’s film-festival ecosystem.
Cinema operations · 1999
Standard theatrical exhibition
The venue’s core offering is the regular theatrical screening of current feature films across its multiplex auditorium network. Its programming is centered on commercial releases but also accommodates independent titles, special events, and festival presentations. The downtown location places it within Toronto’s principal entertainment and film-festival district.
Premium large-format cinema
IMAX with Laser
The theatre includes an IMAX auditorium. The original film-based IMAX 3D projection system was later replaced with IMAX with Laser, providing a newer laser-projection platform for large-format screenings. The supplied reference identifies the installation as the first in Canada and one of two in North America at the time it was introduced.
Premium cinema · 2010
UltraAVX with D-BOX
One auditorium was upgraded to UltraAVX in December 2010. The premium auditorium offers a larger-than-standard screen and was later equipped with D-BOX motion seats, allowing customers to select motion-enabled seating for compatible presentations.
Cinema presentation · 1999
3D screenings
Six of the venue’s auditoriums are described as supporting 3D presentations. This capability extends the theatre’s ability to show studio and event films released in stereoscopic formats.
Immersive cinema
ScreenX
The multiplex includes a ScreenX auditorium, an immersive presentation format that extends selected film imagery onto side walls. The supplied reference identifies the auditorium as part of the current 14-screen configuration but does not provide its installation date.
Virtual reality entertainment · 2017
IMAX VR pilot
From November 2017, the venue hosted Canada’s first IMAX VR pilot location. It used individual stations with HTC Vive or StarVR hardware for games and immersive experiences. IMAX ended the broader VR project and announced closure of remaining locations in early 2019.
Brand decisions
2019
Consider long-term redevelopment of the siteStrategyBackground
RioCan proposed redeveloping the RioCan Hall property with condominium towers and retail, office, and residential uses.
Action taken
The submitted concept included a theatre within the proposed mixed-use development.
Aftermath
The project had not proceeded by 2024. Cineplex characterized the discussions as long-term and indicated that the theatre continued normal operations.
2017
Pilot IMAX VR in CanadaProduct launchBackground
IMAX was testing location-based virtual-reality entertainment alongside its cinema business.
Action taken
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto became the first Canadian IMAX VR pilot location, installing stations for interactive VR experiences.
Aftermath
IMAX later discontinued the VR project and announced that its remaining locations would close in early 2019.
2010
Upgrade an auditorium to UltraAVXProduct launchBackground
Cineplex was expanding premium presentation formats within selected multiplexes.
Action taken
One auditorium was upgraded to the UltraAVX format, with D-BOX motion seating added later.
Aftermath
The venue strengthened its premium-format offer beyond standard and IMAX screens.
2007
Adopt the Scotiabank Theatre identityStrategyBackground
After the corporate transaction that created Cineplex Entertainment, the operator did not retain rights to continue using the Paramount brand.
Action taken
The theatre was renamed Scotiabank Theatre Toronto under a broader Cineplex–Scotiabank partnership that also supported the Scene loyalty program.
Aftermath
The new name replaced Paramount branding and connected the venue to Cineplex’s financial-services and loyalty-program partnership.
Recent events
- 2019
RioCan proposes redevelopment of the theatre site[1]
Other
RioCan submitted a proposal for a mixed-use redevelopment of the RioCan Hall property, with residential, office, and retail components and a theatre included in the proposed project.
- 2018
IMAX VR project is discontinued[1]
Other
IMAX announced that it would end the VR project and close its remaining locations in early 2019.
- 2017
IMAX VR pilot launches at the theatre[1]
Product launch
The venue became the first Canadian site in IMAX’s VR pilot program, offering station-based games and immersive experiences.
- 2016
Barco Escape auditorium opens[1]
Product launch
A second premium presentation format was introduced in July 2016, with Star Trek Beyond serving as the first film shown in the auditorium.
- 2010
UltraAVX premium auditorium introduced[1]
Product launch · Product generation
One auditorium was upgraded to Cineplex’s UltraAVX premium-large-format standard, later receiving D-BOX motion seating.
- 2007
Venue is rebranded as Scotiabank Theatre Toronto[1]
M&A
Following the creation of Cineplex Entertainment and the loss of rights to the Paramount branding, the theatre adopted the Scotiabank Theatre name.
- 1999
Paramount Theatre Toronto opens with The Phantom Menace[1]
Product launch
The 14-screen multiplex opened on May 19, 1999, as Paramount Theatre Toronto with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
Sources1 sources
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