Apple has sued theater chain Apple Cinemas over what the device 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.
MacRumors reports 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, who owns the chain.
