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Origin and history

Le Grand Rex, originally called Le Rex, is a film and performance complex located at 1, Boulevard Poissonnière in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. Inaugurated on December 8, 1932 by Jacques Haïk, a wealthy film producer and distributor, it is designed as an "atmospheric" room inspired by American models, with an Art Deco decoration signed by Maurice Dufrêne and a facade carved by Henri-Édouard Navarre. Its large room, decorated with a starry vault and a Mediterranean city in relief, can accommodate 3,300 spectators originally, a record for the period. The project, led by architect Auguste Bluysen and engineer John Eberson, symbolizes Haik's ambition to create an exceptional place, combining technology and entertainment.

During the occupation, the Grand Rex was requisitioned by the German army and transformed into Soldatenkino to distract the troops. An illuminated clock and train announcements are installed, while a fresco depicting Charlie Chaplin is censored. After the Liberation in October 1944, the cinema reopened with an American program and chewing gums distributed in the intermission. In the 1950s, he innovated with attractions such as the Water Fairy (1954), where 3,000 liters of water were projected in synchronization with music and lights, a show always presented at Christmas. In 1957, the installation of a mechanical staircase, a first in Europe, modernized access to the floors.

The following decades saw the Grand Rex adapt to technical and cultural developments. In 1981, its facades and decoration were listed as historical monuments. In 1988, the Grand Large screen (280 m2), then the largest in Europe, was inaugurated by Luc Besson's Le Grand Bleu. The complex, which grew from 7 to 8 rooms without dividing the large hall, also hosts ceremonies (such as the Caesars in 1983), concerts (Madonna in 2020), and world premieres. In 2022, for its 90th anniversary, its facade returned to its original colours (champagne, ivory, cream) and the large room, renovated, became the largest in the world in regular activity. Today, the Grand Rex combines Art Deco heritage, technological innovations (Dolby Atmos, Real-D screen) and eclectic programming, confirming its status as a cultural icon.

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