Apple Cinemas, the theater chain being sued by Apple over alleged trademark infringement, on Monday said it is “committed to defending our brand.”
We are committed to defending our brand, our history, and our continued right to operate as Apple Cinemas–an identity that is and has always been clearly distinct and fully compliant with all applicable trademark laws.
Apple Cinemas is a long-established independent theater chain with no connection to Apple Inc. Our name reflects our geographic roots and has never been intended to suggest, or used to imply, any affiliation with their brand. Furthermore, claims of consumer confusion are unfounded. Apple Cinema’s branding is clearly differentiated.
We have responded reasonably and transparently to all legal communications regarding this matter and remain focused on growing our business and brand in good faith, as we have for over a decade.
Apple filed a lawsuit last Friday against theater chain Apple Cinemas over what the iPhone maker says is “deliberate misuse of Apple’s world famous APPLE trademark and service mark.”
Apple Cinemas was created in 2010, opening its first theater in 2013. Up till now, Apple basically ignored the theater chain, as initially, Apple Cinemas was just a small chain of theaters based in Massachusetts. Then the chain began to expand, opening a theater in San Francisco in July 2025, and that’s when Apple began to take notice.
While Apple Cinemas claims the company name came from the name of its first planned location at Apple Valley Mall in Rhode Island, a movie theater was never actually opened at that location. The company owns and operates 14 locations, including the theater in San Francisco, as well as Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York.
Apple has filed a suit against the theater chain due to its plans to add another 100 theaters around the country. Apple’s full filing states the movie company has “refused to engage with Apple’s repeated efforts to resolve the matter amicably.”
Apple also claims the public is confused as to the iPhone maker’s involvement in the theater chain, s it cites social media posts as evidence. Apple Cinemas also announced the opening of its San Francisco theater by bragging about “its ‘high-tech’ offerings’,” while it also “teased another San Francisco Bay Area theater coming soon.”
The lawsuit claims that Apple Cinemas intentionally locates its theaters near Apple’s retail store locations around the U.S.
The owners of the theater chain in 2024 attempted to register “Apple Cinemas” and “ACX — Apple Cinematic Experience” with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). However, the USPTO denied both applications, saying they were likely to cause confusion with Apple’s already established trademarks.
Following that registering attempt, Apple sent a cease and desist letter to Sand Media, which owns the chain.
Apple is seeking monetary damages, as well as an injunction to stop Apple Cinemas from using the name.
