Historic L.A. Theatres Appearing in Movies: "The Adventures of Cliff Booth"

Set around 1977, "The Adventures of Cliff Booth" (Netflix, 2026) is a sequel to Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood." It follows Brad Pitt's character a few years after the original tale when he's working as a Hollywood fixer. Netflix is using the title UFP25 during production.

It's a script by Quentin Tarantino, directed by David Fincher. The cast includes Brad Pitt, Carla Gugino, Elizabeth Debecki, Scott Caan, Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Corey Fogelmanis and Karren Karagulian. The DP is Erik Messerschmidt, used on other Fincher films.

June and July 2025 filming in Highland Park:

The Highland Theatre, at 5604 N. Figeroa St. in Highland Park, is being used as a stand-in for a 1977 version of the New Beverly Cinema for exterior and lobby scenes. The auditorium scenes will be shot elsewhere. The theatre had been closed since February 2024 and will eventually get renovated by its new owners.

Brad Pitt at the Highland on July 28, the first night of filming. Behind him is a poster for the 1977 release "Rollercoaster." It's a shot from the Church of Tarantino Facebook page.

The production team came in and gutted the lobby. Display cases, snackbar equipment, dropped ceiling and front doors all went in a dumpster. See the Highland Theatre pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the building, a 1925 design by L.A. Smith.

The production started filming in late July 2025 and reportedly that will run until early January 2026. Figueroa St. between Avenue 55 and Avenue 57, a two block stretch centered on the Highland Theatre, will be closed for filming from 8pm until 6am for five days beginning July 28.

The prep:

Work beginning for the shoot. That doorway unit seen on the right went into the lobby as the entrance to the auditorium. Thanks to Ross Melnick for sharing this June 25 photo. Ross teaches film and media studies at the University of California Santa Barbara and is the founder of the Cinema Treasures website. His latest book is "Hollywood's Embassies: How Movie Theaters Projected American Power."

The entrance after lots of demo by the film crew. Photo: Bill Counter - June 25

A peek into the stripped-out lobby. All the snackbar equipment, dropped ceiling panels, etc. went in the dumpster. These doors we see would soon follow. Photo: Bill Counter - June 25

A look east across Avenue 56. Photo: Bill Counter - June 25

New door frames and glass being installed by Movieglass. Note the new walls in the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2

The new boxoffice. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2

Doors getting installed. Note the repairs to the marquee soffit. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2

The north storefronts. Photo: Bill Counter - July 9

"Tip Top Nails," a new sign for the film, up on storefront #3. Photo: Bill Counter - July 9

Putting wood backing pieces in the sign can to support new fixtures. Photo: Bill Counter - July 16

The lobby's new ceiling partially installed. Photo: Bill Counter - July 16

A peek at work on building a new snackbar. RC Cola, of course. Photo: Bill Counter - July 16

More window decor next door at Tip Top Nails: "Manicure Pedicure," "The Newest Fashion Colors," "Lunchtime Specials" and more. Photo: Bill Counter - July 16

Cans up for new signage on both sides of the corner storefront. Photo: Bill Counter - July 16

A new mural on the side wall for the "Blush and Bangs Beauty Salon." The white film was going up to protect the existing mural. Photo: Bill Counter - July 16

The mural two days later with the white protective film covering the vintage art on the wall and then painted to match the rest of the wall. Photo: Bill Counter - July 18

Carpet for the lobby in a lot a couple doors north of the theatre. Photo: Bill Counter - July 18

New fixtures in and wired on the south side of the sign. Photo: Bill Counter - July 18

Fancy display cases on the new left wall of the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - July 18

Work continuing near the auditorium entrance. Photo: Bill Counter - July 18

Behind the bar. The cabinetry was built off-site. The rest of the bar was on its way. Photo: Bill Counter - July 18

Work continuing on the storefronts and marquee. Photo: Bill Counter - July 22

The sign team in action. Photo: Bill Counter - July 22

A closer look at the display case. It's a poster for "Which Way Is Up," a November 1977 release starring Richard Pryor, Lonette McKee and Margaret Avery. Photo: Bill Counter - July 22

"Big Savings." Storefront #1, on the north end of the building, getting turned into a dress shop. Photo: Bill Counter - July 22

Storefront #2 still needing a makeover. Photo: Bill Counter - July 22

Storefront #4, on the corner, transitioning from a legal office/notary public into a store selling stereos and TVs. Photo: Bill Counter - July 22

"Zenith" signage revealed and more work on the window displays. Photo: Bill Counter - July 24

Well stocked with merchandise in the Ave. 56 window, Photo: Bill Counter - July 24

A wider look at storefronts #3 and #4. Photo: Bill Counter - July 24

New lights added on the marquee soffit and near the boxoffice. The latter were chasing at the time of the photo. Posters up inside the lobby include another one for "Which Way Is Up?" as well as "The Choirboys," "Rollercoaster" and "Mr. Mean." Photo: Bill Counter - July 24

Crowd control stanchions and ropes waiting in the truck. Photo: Bill Counter - July 24

Neon signage up for "Regina Women's Wear" in storefront #1. Next door in #2 it's the "Monaco Hair Salon." Photo: Bill Counter - July 24

It was all shiny with new finishes a few days earlier. Here they've distressed everything with the boxoffice's new plaster discolored, brown stains on the ceiling panels, paint peeling and areas of rust on the marquee soffit. Now playing "Which Way Is Up?" They just list the co-feature as "Soul Brothers." When they later get a poster up for it we'll learn it's a bit more than that. Photo: Bill Counter - July 27

The building across the street at 5605-07 was transformed into a hardware store. The old bank building in the center at 5601, with Jeni's Ice Cream as a tenant, was getting redone as a Bank of America branch. Over on the left at the Highland Park Masonic Temple/Lodge Room note lights on the roof wrapped in white plastic. Photo: Bill Counter - July 27

A new mailbox graces the corner. The building has new Bank of America decals on the windows and lettering above the doorway. Photo: Bill Counter - July 27

Telephone booths waiting to be deployed at the Bank of America corner. Note the blue tarp concealing the mural on the side of the theatre. On the right The Greyhound Bar & Grill at 5570 N. Figueroa got the signage that was along the top of the facade painted over and new benches out front. The parking meters on these blocks had been removed for the shoot as well. Photo: Bill Counter - July 27.

Another look at the Greyhound corner, across Avenue 56 from the theatre. On the far right note the famous Highland Park Chicken Boy on the roof. Photo: Bill Counter - July 27

Day 1 of the shoot:

That's Brad, in the blue shirt, arriving on the first evening of filming. Note the "Beverly Cinema" logo added to the doors. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for sharing his July 28 photo.

In the lobby of the "Beverly Cinema." It's a July 28 photo by Backgrid appearing in an album about the shoot on the site Just Jared and on the Just Jared Facebook page.

In costume and Cliff Booth wig. It's a July 28 shot from a Brad Pitt/Plan B Facebook post. Also see a photo on the Church of Tarantino Facebook page. Just Jared also did a Facebook post with July 28 shots showing Brad in costume.

Rehearsing a scene with moviegoers exiting after a screening. The marquee is staying blank during filming. They'll add the theatre name and titles with CGI. Photo: Bill Counter - July 28. See a nice rehearsal clip taken that night by Howard Shur that Alison Martino shared on her Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page.

Day 3 of the shoot:

The team getting ready in the late afternoon of day 3. Figueroa between 55th Avenue and 57th Avenue would remain open to both cars and pedestrians until 8pm. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

That's Heath in front of the theatre building's north storefront. He's ready, with a pack of "Red Apple" cigarettes in his pocket, to work as a background extra. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

Newspaper racks and gumball machines outside storefront #2. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

A look at the newspaper racks. The Homestate restaurant across the street at 5611 N. Figueroa isn't part of the shoot. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

The Highland's entrance. No getting close to peek in the doors anymore. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

A nice 3-dimensional "Beverly Cinema" logo inside the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

The theatre's second feature, "Soul Brothers Die Hard!" is a title concocted by Quentin for our story. We get some names of real people, like Joel Freeman as director, Renee Martel as one of the actresses. Maybe the fictitious producer named Curtis Bailey or star Rodrick "Hot Rod" Harrison will figure as characters in the story.

An added mailbox, more newspaper racks, and a phone booth along the 56th Avenue side of the theatre. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

1977 flyers on the electrical box. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

"Despite Risks, Europe Opts For Plutonium Age" says the June 15, 1977 L.A. Times. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

"Nazi Camp in Valley" warns the Valley Times. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

Meanwhile, across Figueroa from the theatre, the bar turned into "Benson's Hardware" at 5605-07 is taking advantage of the shutdown during filming to refinish the bar. This half of the block got closed off at night, the north half with the Highland Park Bowl and other businesses stayed open and was accessible to pedestrians. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

A display for the film in the window near the door. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

The hardware store window closer to 56th, with the gate closed for the afternoon. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

Adjacent to the hardware store, the Santa Canela Bakery in the corner building is becoming part of the film's Bank of America branch. The bakery was open earlier. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

B of A logos on the door of what usually is Jeni's Ice Cream, 5601 N. Figueroa. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

Newspaper racks deployed on the corner of 56th. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

A pole right around the corner. The "Mendo" is Mendocino Farms, not seen for the film. On the right it's our fictitious Bank of America Building, 5601 N. Figueroa. To the left it's the former Highland Park Masonic Lodge, now home to several businesses including The Lodge, a second-floor events space at 104 N. Ave. 56. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

A closer look at the pole's flyers, with the theatre on the left. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

Early evening of shooting day 3. The Greyhound Bar and Grill, their signage covered for the filming, had a sandwich board on the sidewalk saying "Hundreds of people are being hurt by this shoot." Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

More of the production team gathering. The marquee was on! Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

The street was closed at 8. Soon it was time for the obligatory water truck. Photo: Bill Counter - July 30

The Highland Theatre pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site have a history of this 1925 vintage theatre along with many photos. Also see the page about the New Beverly Cinema.

On IMDb: 'The Adventures of Cliff Booth" also: "Untitled Quentin Tarantino Project"