Editing Leicester Square (section)

====Cinemas====
[[File:Londen 2006 (361) (2848925508).jpg|thumb|left|upright|200px|The [[Odeon Luxe Leicester Square|Odeon Leicester Square]] in June 2006]]
The [[Empire, Leicester Square|Empire theatre]] on the north side of the square was converted into a cinema in 1928. It was the largest on the square until 1959, when a new projection box was built in the centre of the stalls for ''[[Ben-Hur (1959 film)|Ben-Hur]]'', reducing the seating capacity from 2,778 to 1,723. In 1961, the building was gutted and a new cinema and dance hall were built in the shell.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Eyles |first1=Allen |last2=Skone |first2=Keith |title=London's West End Cinemas |date=1991 |publisher=Keytone Publications |isbn=0951431315 |pages=57,98,99}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/912 |title=Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square |website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ross Melnick, Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref> In 2013 the main auditorium was divided into two screens, including an [[IMAX]] screen.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30144260|title=Leicester Square: Do London's cinemas face a fight for survival?|first=Duncan|last=Smith|work=BBC News|date=14 December 2014|access-date=9 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926002634/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30144260|archive-date=26 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Adjoining the Empire was the Ritz Cinema, opened by [[MGM]] in 1937. It played ''[[Gone With the Wind (film)|Gone With the Wind]]'' for four years from 1940 to 1944.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=Metro Shutters Ritz In London For a Facelift|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_variety_1970-04-29_258_11/page/172/mode/2up?view=theater|date=29 April 1970|page=172|access-date=15 June 2024|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> It became a second screen for the Empire in 1972 and was converted to a [[4DX]] screen in 2018. In 2023 it was closed due to a dispute with the building's landlord.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/912 |title=Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square 4DX|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref>

On the south side, the [[Odeon Luxe West End|Leicester Square Theatre]] opened in 1930. It was renamed the Odeon West End in 1988 and was earmarked for demolition in 2014, to be replaced by a ten-storey hotel including a two-screen cinema.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25820426|title=Leicester Square's Odeon cinema to be demolished|work=BBC News|date=21 January 2014|access-date=9 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926002224/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25820426|archive-date=26 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The new cinema opened in 2021 as the [[Odeon Luxe West End]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cinematreasures.org/theaters/910 |title=Odeon West End|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ross Melnick, Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref>

The Odeon Leicester Square, which dominates the east side of the square, hosts many film premieres. Opened in 1937 on the site of the Alhambra Theatre, it originally had a capacity for 2,116 people, arranged in circle and stalls. Following changes at the Empire, in the 1960s it became the largest cinema on the square.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=6 February 1963|page=23|title=Freeze Hurts West End Deluxers, 'Lawrence' Might $33,000, 7th, 'West' Sturdy 21½G, 'Girls' Stout $16,000 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_variety_1963-02-06_229_11/page/23/mode/1up?view=theater|access-date=16 June 2024|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> It later became the largest cinema in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite book |last=Robertson |first=Patrick |title=Film Facts & Feats |publisher=Aurum Press |year=2001 |isbn=1-85410-654-6 |page=221}}</ref> The seating capacity was reduced to 800 following refurbishment in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/841 |title=Odeon Luxe Leicester Square|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Steffan Laugharne, Ken Roe| access-date=16 June 2024}}</ref>

On the other side of the Empire was the Queen's Hotel, which started showing [[newsreels]] in the 1930s and was then converted into a [[Joseph Cohen (solicitor)|Jacey]] Cinema in 1960. It closed in 1978 and is now a casino.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/13062|title=Jacey Leicester Square|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref>

The [[Vue West End|Warner Theatre]], near the north east corner, opened in 1938 on the site of the former Daly's Theatre. The Warner was demolished and rebuilt in 1993. In 2004, it was taken over by [[Vue International|Vue]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cinematreasures.org/theaters/3778|title=Vue West End|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref> In 2006, it was one of the first two cinemas in Europe to screen a film in [[Digital 3D]] with ''[[Chicken Little (2005 film)|Chicken Little]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://myvue.com/about-us|title=About Us|publisher=Vue|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005151807/http://www.myvue.com/about-us|archive-date=5 October 2011}}</ref>

A short distance from the west of the square, on the south side of Panton Street, is the Odeon Panton Street.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.timeout.com/london/cinemas/odeon-panton-street|title=Odeon Panton Street|magazine=Time Out|access-date=11 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905155702/http://www.timeout.com/london/cinemas/odeon-panton-street|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Prince Charles Cinema]], to the north of the square opened in 1962 with a "satellite dish" design where the audience looks upwards to the stage. The cinema became known for showing [[pornographic film|pornographic]] and [[erotic film|erotic]] films during the 1970s, including ''[[Emmanuelle (1974 film)|Emmanuelle]]'' (1974). It later became a favourite venue for showing [[cult film]]s, including ''[[The Rocky Horror Picture Show]]'' (1975) and a sing-along version of ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965), and marathon performances including all seven [[Muppet]] films back to back. Prices are considerably cheaper than the main cinemas in the square; in 2013 a ticket for a new release at the Prince Charles cost £10, compared to £24 at the Odeon.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2013/jan/15/cine-files-prince-charles-cinema|title=Cine-files: The Prince Charles Cinema|work=The Guardian|date=15 January 2013|access-date=10 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002125513/http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2013/jan/15/cine-files-prince-charles-cinema|archive-date=2 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Statue of Mr. Bean at Leicester Square.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Mr. Bean (character)|Mr. Bean]] statue in the square as part of the ''[[Scenes in the Square]]'' sculpture trail.]]
Due to the Leicester Square's long association with cinema, a film-themed sculpture trail entitled ''[[Scenes in the Square]]'' was installed.<ref name="SITS 1">{{cite news |title=Celebrate 100 years of cinema with this interactive sculpture trail in Leicester Square |url=https://www.timeout.com/london/news/celebrate-100-years-of-cinema-with-this-interactive-sculpture-trail-in-leicester-square-011320 |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=Time Out London}}</ref> In February 2020, eight sculptures were installed which depict characters from the last 100 years of cinema including [[Laurel and Hardy]], [[Mary Poppins (character)|Mary Poppins]], [[Batman]], [[Bugs Bunny]], [[Don Lockwood]] portrayed by [[Gene Kelly]], [[Paddington Bear]], [[Mr. Bean (character)|Mr. Bean]], and [[Wonder Woman]].<ref name="SITS 1" /> In September 2020, a statue of [[Harry Potter]] riding a [[Nimbus 2000]] was installed, becoming the ninth statue in the exhibition.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hartley |first1=Laura |title=Harry Potter Quidditch statue unveiled in Leicester Square |url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/gallery/harry-potter-quidditch-statue-unveiled-19023066 |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=SurreyLive |date=30 September 2020 |language=en}}</ref> In June 2021, a statue of the [[Iron Throne (A Song of Ice and Fire)|Iron Throne]] from HBO TV series ''[[Game of Thrones]]'' was unveiled to mark 10 years since the release of the first episode.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Makoni |first1=Abbianca |title=Game of Thrones' Iron Throne comes to Leicester Square |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/game-of-thrones-iron-throne-leicester-square-b941979.html |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=London Evening Standard |date=22 June 2021}}</ref>