SAN JOSE, Calif. — Alamo Drafthouse Cinema’s San Francisco New Mission location, which has long stood as one of the most beloved movie houses in all of the Bay Area, is getting a new name.

The historic Alamo Drafthouse theater at 2550 Mission St. is being rechristened as the Christopher Nolan Cinema, in honor of the acclaimed Oscar-winning filmmaker “whose commitment to film preservation, theatrical exhibition and large-format presentation have defined the modern filmgoing experience,” according to a news release.

“San Francisco’s New Mission has been an icon of cinema for more than a century, and under the leadership of Alamo Drafthouse it stands at the apex of cinematic presentation, whether you’re a filmmaker or an audience member,” Christopher Nolan says. “To be honored in this way, and with this particular theater, is a thrill beyond words. I am grateful to Alamo Drafthouse Cinema for their passion and commitment to creating an ideal cinematic experience that celebrates and elevates this art form that we all love.”

The announcement of the name change comes hot on the heels of the theater’s recent ticket launch for the 70mm and Premium Large Format release of Nolan’s new mythic action epic from Universal Pictures, “The Odyssey,” which opens in theaters on July 17.

Nolan — whose connection to the Bay Area includes filming parts of the Oscar-winning blockbuster “Oppenheimer” in Berkeley — joins a select and distinguished group of filmmakers and performers whose names adorn Alamo Drafthouse locations in different parts of the country. Other members of that group include Spike Lee, John Hughes, Ivan Reitman, Bong Joon Ho and Pam Grier.

The renaming will be officially commemorated later this year at a 70mm screening event in San Francisco that Nolan will reportedly attend and guest curate. Details on this event have yet to be announced.

“By dedicating New Mission in Mr. Nolan’s name, we’re celebrating and thanking a filmmaker whose work has consistently championed cinema not merely as entertainment, but as a cultural inheritance worth protecting,” says Michael Kustermann, Alamo Drafthouse CEO. “The same auditorium that ran silent movies in 1916 now has both 70mm celluloid projection sitting beside Barco’s state-of-the-art laser projector. That trajectory feels right for the Christopher NolanCinema.”

Besides “Oppenheimer,” Nolan is known for such acclaimed cinematic achievements as “Tenet,” “Dunkirk,” “Interstellar,” “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” trilogy.

“At Alamo Drafthouse, when we have widescreen epics like ‘The Odyssey’ headed our way, we know that, like a Trojan Horse, each screening offers the chance to covertly remind both casual and lapsed moviegoers of how extraordinary the cinematic experience can really be,” says Chaya Rosenthal, Alamo Drafthouse’s chief marketing officer. “As we celebrate 110 years of this historic theater with a remodel and new chapter for its future, we’re deeply grateful to Mr. Nolan for the leadership he’s brought to this industry. We can’t wait to work with his team on thededication events for the Christopher Nolan Cinema.”

For more information, visit drafthouse.com.

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