Empire Theatre (Landmark Cinemas 6 Jackson Square), Hamilton

The venue once known as Empire Theatres Jackson Square opened on August 23, 1972. Originally operated by Famous Players, it was built during a major early 1970s redevelopment that replaced older city blocks with a modern shopping and office complex. Designed as a multi-screen cinema, it features concrete construction and a practical layout typical of that era, rather than historic decorative details.

In 2005, the cinema became part of the Empire Theatres chain, a Canadian company that operated from 1984 to 2013. During that period, it was known as Empire Theatres Jackson Square. In 2013, after Empire sold many of its locations, the venue was rebranded as Landmark Cinemas 6 Jackson Square. The “Empire” name therefore refers to the corporate chain that managed it, not to an early 20th-century performance hall.

Today, under its current name, the cinema continues to operate as a multiplex, offering several screening rooms, concession areas, and modern projection systems. Its history reflects changes in ownership and branding within Canada’s film industry, while the building itself remains a product of the 1970s redevelopment era.