UPDATED March 2, 11:41 p.m. ET: Sean has offered an update on his plans to open the theater, explaining the motivation and plans further on his Instagram. "There Literally is NOT ONE MOVIE THEATRE IN THE CITY OF DETROIT THAT PLAYS NEW MOVIES, ONLY IN THE SUBURBS!!!," his post reads.
"I wanted to show the city and Detroit Public Schools that a kid from DPS that’s the same color as most of them can be a owner and a CEO too and open big business in uncharted territory! This is huge for my city! I wanted to show them face to face that I am opening a theatre just like the one they are sitting in, so they can see Black people being strong and independent and powerful, on and off the screen." Read the his full Instagram post below.
See original story from 03/01/18 below.
Big Sean's plans to revive his hometown of Detroit are getting closer to becoming a reality after he announced a joint venture with cinema chain Emagine Entertainment on Wednesday, Detroit Free Press announced. "There is no major movie theater in the city of Detroit — this makes no sense to me," Sean said in a statement.
The rapper has been vocal in his hopes to revitalize the downtown area of his home city, and with this latest deal with Emagine, he's one step closer to bringing a high-end multiplex to an area that, according to Emagine founder Paul Glantz, is largely "underserved." Sean is hoping that the new theater will be more than just a place to see the latest blockbusters, though. Glantz plans to create a "luxury venue" that will have a total capacity of 1,300 seats, including a 300-seat auditorium which Sean hopes will become a a bustling, creative space for locals.
"I feel that it is necessary to build a theater in the city, not only because of the joy and inspiration movies will bring to people's lives, but I hope this theater will become a hub of creativity — a place for intimate concerts, lectures, meetings, and other events," Sean said. The mixed-use project will cater to the downtown area, and will incorporate "multi-screen cinemas and a brand-new concept creating an intimate live music venue."
Turns out Big Sean is turning his words into actions, as the project is expected to have the theater and multi-purpose space up and ready by 2020.
