Theaters bet big on massive screens, booming sound and recliners to lure movie fans

With a $5 million makeover, Phoenix Theatres transformed a 10-screen cinema at Cleveland's Great Northern Mall into a cinematic escape where wall-to-wall screens, thundering sound, and luxurious recliners lure movie lovers back to the big screens. The investment appeared to pay off this summer, as moviegoers sold out upscale screenings of blockbusters like "Superman" and "Jurassic World: Rebirth." Theater chains in North America, including AMC Entertainment, Regal Cinemas and Cinemark, invested more than $1.5 billion in the past year to upgrade auditoriums, adding larger screens, enhancing sound systems and providing other amenities, according to trade organization Cinema United. AMC told investors last month that its upgraded auditoriums attract close to three times the occupancy of a regular theater. "In terms...