Cineworld said today it was considering options including a possible bankruptcy filing in the US as the world's second-largest cinema chain operator by number of screens struggles with near term liquidity.
Here is a timeline of the company, which operates under the Cinema City, Picturehouse, Regal and Yes Planet brands, and its past and present struggles.
1995 - Cineworld founded by Steve Wiener after he left his job as managing director of Warner Bros Europe.
July 1996 - First multiplex opens in Stevenage in England.
October 2004 - Private equity firm Blackstone buys Cineworld from consortium of investors including group's management.
December 2004 - Cineworld buys UGC's cinema operations in Britain and Ireland, becoming the second largest cinema operator in the UK.
April 2007 - Cineworld lists in London at 170 pence per share, valuing it at £241m.
2009 - Blackstone lowers shareholding in Cineworld to 20%.
2010 - Blackstone sells remaining stake in Cineworld for 205 pence per share.
2012 - Cineworld buys independent cinema operator Picturehouse for £47.3m.
November 2013 - Founder Wiener announces plans to step down after 18 years with Cineworld.
January 2014 - Cineworld becomes second largest cinema chain in Europe after it buys Poland-based Cinema City International's movie theatre business for £272m in cash. Cinema City holds 24.9% of Cineworld shares.
December 2017 - Cineworld agrees to buy larger US peer Regal Entertainment for $3.6 billion in cash, creating world's second largest cinema operator.
2018 - Acquisition of Regal completed.
December 2019 - Cineworld announces plans to buy Canada's Cineplex for $1.65 billion in cash, valuing Cineplex at $2.1 billion including debt. Deal involves Cineworld seeking $2.3 billion in loans.
March 2020 - Cineworld's then largest shareholder Global City Theatres sells almost a third of its stake on worries over prospects during the Covid-19 pandemic.
April 2020 - Cineworld shuts all its 787 cinemas across 10 countries due to the pandemic, and starts talks with lenders for liquidity requirements. The Telegraph reports Cineworld lenders were exploring legal challenges to block takeover of Cineplex.
June 2020 - Cineworld abandons deal to buy Cineplex, citing breaches in the merger agreement.
July 2020 - Cineplex says it will sue Cineworld, seeking damages after Cineworld "wrongfully" scrapped deal; Cineworld plans counter-claim. Cineworld cinemas reopen after virus-related restrictions start to ease.
October 2020 - Cineworld closes UK and US cinemas again due to Covid.
May 2021 - Cineworld says UK reopening weekend topped expectations as animated comedy "Peter Rabbit 2" drew crowds after months of lockdown.
September 2021 - Cineworld says it will pay $170m to Regal shareholders, who were disgruntled with takeover price.
December 2021 - Cineworld ordered to pay C$1.23 billion ($946.1m) in damages to Cineplex.
February 2022 - Cineworld reaches deal to delay payments to former Regal shareholders.
August 17, 2022 - Cineworld warns a lack of big-budget movies was hitting admissions and would likely persist until November, potentially complicating efforts to cut debt that it warned could significantly dilute shareholder interests.
August 19, 2022 - The Wall Street Journal reports Cineworld is preparing to file for bankruptcy.
