Film buffs hoping to beat the summer heat by watching their favorite cult classics and modern movies will have the chance to see them in a historic Central Texas theater, but only for a limited time. Major changes are coming to the Paramount Theatre’s Summer Classic Film Series as the iconic downtown Austin venue prepares to undergo a massive $55 million renovation this year.
The 52nd annual series will begin the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 22, and will continue through the end of August, featuring three months of big-screen movie magic, according to a release. However, the first few weeks of this year’s program will be some of the last opportunities to catch a film at the Paramount Theatre before it closes in mid-June for its first major renovation in over 50 years.
“The Summer Classic Film Series is woven into the fabric of Austin summers,” Stephen Jannise, Paramount Theatre’s senior director of film programming, said in a news release. “This year carries something extra, a bittersweetness as we say a temporary goodbye to the Paramount for its long-overdue and much-deserved restoration, and an excitement as we bring the series to new venues and new audiences. The films are as great as ever, and the tradition is very much alive and thriving.”
The full restoration will come from the Shine On capital campaign, a community effort to restore the Paramount Theatre and “completely reimagine” its neighboring 90-year-old State Theatre. Once the Paramount closes in June, the construction process is tentatively expected to take between eight and nine months to complete.
Luckily for movie lovers, the series’ screenings will continue at other beloved Austin theaters, including the State Theatre and the Bullock Museum IMAX Theatre, which boasts the biggest screen in Texas. Hyperreal Film Club, the Austin Asian American Film Festival, Black Auteur Film Festival and the ATX TV Festival will also each host screenings during the series.
In accordance with the series’ tradition, opening night on May 22 will kick off with a double feature of Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, both of which will be presented on 35 mm film. The next day will feature a special 25th anniversary showing of Spy Kids on Saturday, May 23, with Austin-based director Robert Rodriguez expected to attend and perform with his “Family Spy Band.”
In June, the series will feature IMAX screenings at The Bullock Museum IMAX Theatre, including JAWS on Tuesday, June 16, The Wizard of Oz in 3D on Tuesday, June 23, and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY on Tuesday, June 30. Additional IMAX screenings will be announced soon.
Other notable movies on the series lineup include Creed on Tuesday, June 2, Singin’ in the Rain on Thursday, June 11, To Kill a Mockingbird on Monday, July 13, Monsters Inc. on Saturday, July 18, Grease on Sunday, July 26, and many more. To see the full list of movies, visit the Paramount Theatre’s 2026 Summer Classic Film Series website.
Ticket prices for all showings start at $15, with ticket bundles and discounted tickets also available.