Apple has filed a lawsuit in opposition to the movie show Apple Cinemas over what it says is a deliberate try and capitalize on its title.
It isn’t often a shock when a company sues to guard its title or logos, and often it is extra sudden once they fail. However Apple Cinemas opened its first theater in 2013, and it was based in 2010, but Apple seemingly left it alone till now.
That is as a result of up till not too long ago, Apple Cinemas was a small chain based mostly in Massachusetts. However in the middle of an initially fairly sluggish growth, it opened a theater in San Fransisco in July 2025, and apparently that was too near house for Apple.
As first noticed by MacRumors, Apple has filed go well with as a result of Apple Cinemas has introduced plans so as to add 100 additional theaters nationwide. Based on Apple’s full submitting, the film firm has “refused to have interaction with Apple’s repeated efforts to resolve the matter amicably.”
Extra, Apple alleges that there’s already public confusion over its involvement within the chain, and cites social media posts as proof. Plus it claims that Apple Cinemas marked the opening of its San Francisco theater by touting “its ‘high-tech’ choices’,” because it “teased one other San Francisco Bay Space theater coming quickly.”
Apple maintains that these two theaters are near its Apple Park headquarters, and claims that Apple Cinemas is deliberately pursuing nationwide growth close to Apple’s retail retailer areas.
Reportedly, the homeowners of the chain utilized to the US Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) in 2024 to register “Apple Cinemas” and “ACX — Apple Cinematic Expertise”. Each functions had been denied, particularly as a result of USPTO mentioned they had been prone to trigger confusion with Apple’s prior logos.
Apple subsequently despatched a stop and desist letter to the chain’s homeowners, Sand Media. The homeowners haven’t commented publicly.
There are a number of companies whose names embrace the phrase “Apple.” Nevertheless, this movie show chain is increasing simply Apple is seeing success with movies comparable to “F1: The Film,” and because the submitting factors out, additionally had success with an Apple Cinema Show.
Based on Apple Cinema listings, the theater chain is at the moment screening Apple’s “F1: The Film” film on its new San Fransisco display, known as Apple Cinemas Van Ness Imax. Ticket costs are $18.75 for an grownup’s common seat, $16.75 for seniors and youngsters.